


A Victim and an Innocent

by Mochi-girl (Sushi)



Category: Beauty and the Beast (TV 2012), Nikita (TV 2010)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-09
Updated: 2013-05-08
Packaged: 2017-12-07 23:21:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 31,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/754292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sushi/pseuds/Mochi-girl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Past Present and Future: Vincent Keller & Catherine Chandler are kidnapped by Amanda & Ari who are taking over the Super Soldier program created by Murifield. They need Vincent as a guinea pig and Catherine as leverage. Wanting to right a wrong, will Nikita and the New Division find them before it's too late? And what will Tess, J.T. & Evan do?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Nine Years Ago

On the day she relapsed and showed up at Carla's safe house high and disoriented, one shot from a handgun forever changed her life and the lives of many others. She had killed a cop and in the chaos, Carla, the person she counted on most had abandoned her. Nikita, a homeless and drug addicted twenty year old was arrested, tried and convicted of murder. She was sent to death row and it seemed her life was over, until one night, she was drugged and dragged from her prison cell. She woke up in a strange place with a man named Michael hovering over her. He told her she had been given a second chance at life and an opportunity to serve her country.

Division, a government organization was her second chance, but only a handful of people knew of its existence because it was created to be invisible. Housed inside an underground facility and built with funds siphoned off from the DoD's budget, a group of unscrupulous politicians kept it alive. They called themselves Oversight, and used resources they would vehemently deny doing business with, to fund it.

They turned it over to a man named Percy who they knew would do their bidding, no questions asked. But Percy was a psychotic opportunist, who took it one step further and told them lies for his own personal gain. He brought in a woman named Amanda to join their ranks, she was an expert at interrogation, manipulation and torture and together they turned the organization unencumbered by protocol, bureaucracy and scrutiny into a clandestine black ops organization.

Percy and Amanda fixed problems and eliminated threats for Oversight. There were legitimate missions that protected the nation's security and kept our enemies under control, but over time these became scarce as covert missions took their place. These were off the books and many involved innocents who became collateral damage. They lined Percy's coffers with blood-money and fed his hunger for power. It might be the assassination of foe or even a friend if they stood in his way. It might be the theft, sale or even auction of chemical and nuclear weapons. It might be the barter of government secrets and getting in bed with underworld criminals for gain or favors. Or, it might be a program developed to create an indestructible super solider by altering the DNA of a human being.

They were mercenaries and greed and power became their end game. Percy and Amanda ultimately held the best hand in this contest of deceit and corruption and he documented each dark and illegal incident on what he affectionately called his black boxes. They were computer hard drives that held information so damaging it threatened the very core of our democracy and could render us helpless against our enemies. Percy hid the menacing information in eight different places around the globe and tasked Division agents, who he named  _Guardians_  to watch over them. The black boxes were his insurance that his actions would never be questioned.

If Amanda was Percy's partner, than Michael was his lieutenant and he became Percy's right hand man and a trusted and valued member of Division. He was a dark enigma who brought in new recruits and trained them, and he believed they had the ability to save lives.

At one time Michael was optimistic, ambitious and held a promising future with Naval Intelligence. His wife was a sweet and loving woman and they had a beautiful three-year old daughter. He had goals to make something of himself, plans to buy a house and settle down and live his life as a good husband and father. But all that changed when they were stationed in the Middle East and he was assigned to counter-terrorism.

A man he considered a friend and ally betrayed Michael with a car bomb. It was meant to kill him, but mistakenly took the lives of his wife and daughter. When the car went up in an explosion of fire, he thought his life was over, his loved ones were dead, his dreams shattered. Then Percy showed up at the military hospital and offered him vengeance, the one thing he thought was worth living for. His decision to join the ranks of Division was based on hatred and retribution and both of these would blind him to what the organization would become.

Nine years ago, Nikita was a trapped and frightened prisoner who only wanted to escape her captors. Michael eventually gained her trust and became her mentor and handler, while Amanda tapped her potential and taught her valuable skills. From the first moment they both laid eyes on her, they saw underneath the rough edges and grime, she was smart and beautiful. For Michael, she was a life worth saving and for Amanda she was a tool and a means to an end. There would be adversity interwoven with her successes, but ultimately, the girl with the troubled past would find her place within the organization called Division.

* * *

She grew up in an affluent neighborhood in West Chester in the arms of a warm and loving family. Her father was an attorney, her mother a research doctor in genetics and her younger sister was everyone's ray of sunshine. She had her life planned out and felt confident and excited about her choices. Catherine was the golden child, a graduate of Princeton University with law school in her sights. Her future was filled with unlimited possibilities, until one night, she found herself outside of her workplace, with a dead car battery.

She worked evenings at a tavern called the Salty Dawg in a rural part of West Chester. It was a chilly and misty night when her mother came to rescue her with jumper cables. A car approached them and they were blinded by the glare of its headlights. The two women were taken off guard when without reason or explanation two men exited from the vehicle and pointed guns at them. They shot and killed Vanessa Chandler and they would have killed Catherine too except she ran into the woods. The men chased her and when she stumbled and fell she was left begging for her life.

Everyone told her it was post-traumatic stress and the shock of seeing her mother shot multiple times that sullied her mind. It became easier to believe this than to convince others of what she had experienced. They insisted a wild animal had rescued her, maybe a coyote or even a bear, but someplace deep inside of herself, where doubt thrives, she knew this wasn't true. A man who was a Beast appeared in the woods and saved her life.

Catherine was left with questions and she became obsessed with finding answers. She could never accept what happened to her mother. The police had no leads, the FBI placated her family with stories of a robbery turned homicide, and the only evidence was an unexplainable sample of crossed species DNA. Her life had been permanently changed and law school seemed irrelevant, instead she decided to become a cop.

Why had her mother been murdered and who or what saved her life? She would eventually find the answer and it would begin with a man named Vincent, whose bizarre and outrageous story was linked to hers.

He was an ER resident, a fresh doctor who wanted to save lives and help others. When 9/11 took the lives of his two brothers, it filled him with bitterness and anger. He let his rage steer his life off course and he enlisted in the army. Vincent was sent to Afghanistan where he became part of a Special Ops Unit and a member of a classified program called Operation Murifield. Murifield was an independent contractor to the DoD under the auspices of a black ops organization called Division. They developed a program to build an army of super soldiers and told Vincent and the others they had been given this opportunity to make a difference. Through a series of injections, they altered their DNA and they became indestructible and superior in every way. But eventually, the terrifying truth came out, anytime their adrenaline kicked in, they transformed into monsters, killing machines, they were out of control and unstoppable. Their strength was unmatchable, their appearance ghastly and their blood lust was unspeakable.

Division had lost control of the program and would not be held accountable for what had happened. The men on the ground had no choice, without funding or the backing of the government, they had become responsible for a platoon of monsters and one by one they killed off their human experiments. Vincent should not have survived, but he did. He would have become another casualty of war if not for a lifelong friend who helped save his life but could not save him from what he had become.

He didn't know why he was compelled to track the movements of Vanessa Chandler. He only knew she was important and it was equally important for him to be there that cold night. He heard the two women talking and the sounds of a vehicle pulling up. It was followed by the pop of gun fire and he knew the doctor had been shot in cold blood. Her daughter would be next, unless he intervened. At that moment, he found even as a Beast, he still had his humanity and the proof was in the young women he saved.

Nine years ago, Catherine reminded Vincent he was more than an aberration or a medical experiment gone awry, he was still a man with compassion who knew right from wrong. And Catherine began the search for her mother's murderer, and for whoever or whatever saved her life. She would eventually learn, a single mold for monsters did not exist.

 

Present Day

Her wrists were cuffed behind her back and they covered her head with a black hood. She listened intently hoping for a clue of familiarity but she had no idea where they were taking her. After a long ride in a vehicle, they escorted her down a corridor and brought her to a room. Only then was the hood removed. Her pupils contracted under the fluorescent light, but once her eyes focused, she saw she wasn't alone.

"Detective Chandler." Amanda said, stating the obvious. She sat in a large chair behind an ornately carved desk that housed a large computer monitor. Two large and grim-looking men carrying assault rifles flanked either side of her.

"My name is Amanda. May I call you Catherine? I think being on a first name basis is much more civil." When she spoke, the words dripped like honey from a hive. Her auburn hair accented her pale skin and her blood-red lips matched her long manicured nails. A chill went through Catherine, her instincts told her this woman was very dangerous. She became painfully aware of her own condition. She wore hospital scrubs, her own clothes had been taken when they removed the bullet in her thigh. Her hair hung in strings and her face was dirty and streaked with dried tears.

"Where's Vincent?" Her voice quavered with emotion and she took a deep breath to compose herself. "Why am I here?"

Amanda attempted to look at her kindly, but the evil in her eyes betrayed her. "Vincent is very special, but you already know this. We need his help and he needs yours."

Catherine eyes filled with doubt. "I want to see him... what have you done to him?"

"I know about Murifield's work and what they did to Vincent. Through no fault of his own, he is, to put it simply, unique." Amanda looked at the monitor on her desk and entered something on the keyboard.

"We have the server and the data that was used on Operation Murifield. Unfortunately, none of the original members of the team are still living, but we have an exceptionally bright scientist named Anton whose mission is to further the program. We would like to see it succeed."

"Succeed? What is that supposed to mean? Murifield altered their DNA and made a mess of the program. Are you saying you have an antidote?" Catherine's optimism hadn't completely died. She still hoped that Vincent could be helped.

"Success would mean we could control the subjects during their metamorphosis. Only then would they become useful."

"Useful?" She began to tremble with fear.

Amanda smirked and turned the computer monitor toward her.

Catherine's heart hammered in her chest and she stifled the urge to cry out. It was a video feed of the Beast, trapped inside a padded room. His features were hard and angular, they accentuated his stoney pallor and his veins broke through his skin like an irregular road map. His pupils were amber-colored and where he should have had fingernails, were sharp claws. He threw himself against the walls in a desperate attempt to escape and as he thrashed about, it was clear he was in agony and screeching in pain.


	2. Chapter 2

The Allies

Tess Vargas was a tall, lanky brunette with a honey colored complexion and an upbeat personality. She came from a family of law enforcement officers and never had doubts about becoming one herself. She was an effective and efficient detective with the Eighteenth Precinct's Special Crimes Unit and partnered with another rising star, Catherine Chandler. They were a solid team and their police work was well-respected. Tess trusted her partner and often confided in her and it troubled her when Catherine did not do the same. But, she knew that she had a difficult past, so she left her alone.

She used sarcasm to ask the hard questions and compassion when she had the answers. Her attention to detail and follow through, along with an open mind made her a good detective, but nothing had prepared her for the last few months and especially the last two weeks. She found herself immersed in an unbelievable story that included a government conspiracy, the horrors of science, kidnapping and the loss of life.

Catherine had disappeared with a doctor named Vincent Keller, who was supposedly killed in action in Afghanistan. Keller's roommate, J.T. Forbes, a Bio-Chemistry professor and Vincent's champion had come to Tess with an incredible story. It was difficult to believe there were mad scientists out there creating monsters for our government, and even harder to fathom that Catherine had become personally involved with one of those monsters.

When Joe Bishop, the precinct lieutenant pursued Cat's disappearance, he received a mandate from the very top of the law enforcement chain of command. This was a matter of national security and no longer a criminal case. A special task force would investigate Catherine and Vincent's disappearance and the rest of them needed to let it go and get on with their lives.

Tess found it hard to just back off and accept her partner and friend was in serious trouble, but Joe implored her to tread lightly and consider the consequences. They were being watched and could be dismissed from the Force with one call. Joe assured his superiors that his people and Cat's family would not interfere, but Tess and Evan Marks, the M.E. had other ideas and J.T. had gone through too much with Vincent to be wait listed or relegated to standby.

J.T. and Vincent grew up together and were a constant in each other's lives. When Vincent lost both his brothers on 9/11, J.T. was the only one left. He tried to talk Vincent out of enlisting in the army and giving up his residency at St Benjamin's Hospital, but he knew it was pointless. So he wished him luck and prayed he would return safely. Vincent wrote to him about becoming part of a special program and being excited to participate, but several months went by and he heard nothing more from him. When he got the news that his closest friend had been killed in action he was completely devastated. A week later he thought he was having a heart attack when he got a call from the dead man himself, he was alive and hiding out in a small village in Turkmenistan. It took a month and most of his inheritance, but he smuggled Vincent back into the U.S.

His best friend had gone to Afghanistan as a warrior and returned a broken man. What Operation Murifield had done to him was incomprehensible and he vowed to help him. He thought it was terrifying that Murifield and now the CIA had eyes on him, but when he became aware that a group of unidentifiable agents were watching his every move, he would learn the true definition of terror. The agents were ex Gogol Operatives, the equivalent of the Russian Division and their leader was Ari Tasarov, Amanda's lover.

It was Evan Marks, the M.E. who had quietly pursued the case of crossed species DNA. He was a doctor and a scientist and worked with hypothesis every day, and each one held a possibility. Evan was raised and schooled in London, he came to New York to study Forensic Science. He was smart, handsome and charming and attracted many women, but none of them stood up to his ideal.

Aside from his personal life, he was also ambitious and wanted to make a name for himself. When DNA was left at a crime scene that led him to Vanessa Chandler's murder, he began to piece together clues. The unknown vigilante the City either feared or loved might not be completely human. When J.T. had given him Vincent's blood and tissue samples, they proved what he already knew. They were a match to six samples he had found in old crime cases, including Cat's mother. But the bigger revelation was, the woman he secretly loved, had disappeared with a monster. He knew he had to rescue Catherine from Vincent Keller, whose crossed species DNA made him nothing less than a beast.

 

The New Division

Over the years, there had been many conflicts and twisted scenarios, but the leaders of the New Division had all worked toward one goal, to destroy the clandestine organization. Ironically, Nikita, Michael, Alex, Birkhoff and Ryan were now here to save it.

Four months had passed since Nikita had killed Percy and Amanda had disappeared. Ryan Fletcher had been given the daunting assignment to clean up the mess that was left behind. His ultimatum to Nikita, he would only do it with her help. She agreed knowing that those left within Division's walls were threatened with prison sentences, or like her, death row.

Nikita's journey began in Division where she honed her skills and became the most formidable operative in the organization. Her success rate was par to none and she became their biggest asset. Michael mentored her and soon the student surpassed the teacher, but the girl who who was never loved had many lessons to still learn. After three years, she could no longer abide by the corrupt and dangerous rules that Percy had set forth and accept Amanda's sick and cruel ways. When they murdered someone important to her, she had enough and went rogue.

Her personal mission was to atone for the many lives she took or ruined, and it began with finding a young woman named Alex. Percy ordered Nikita to kill her during a Division mission, but she defied him and let her live. She was the only daughter of Nicolai Udinov and heir to the family conglomerate known as Zetrov. The world believed she had been killed along with her parents, but Nikita discovered sex traffickers had bought her and addicted her to heroin and amphetamines. Alex eventually escaped her captors and was living fix to fix on the streets when Nikita found her. The plan was to get her clean and give her a chance to start over, but beating her heroin addiction only meant she was clear-headed enough to know she was alone, with no one to love and to love her back. Nikita understood this all too well, and when Alex tried to kill herself, she told her the truth. She did have something to live for, Division had murdered her parents and she could join her fight, get revenge and stop them from ruining more lives.

She trained Alex, and as her skills progressed, they agreed she would become a mole inside of Division. Once in place, she had proved invaluable and together they began to unravel the tedious infrastructure that Percy, Amanda and Michael had built. But Nikita had kept one secret from Alex and when it was revealed that she had actually been the one who killed her parents, Alex spiraled out of control and out of Nikita's life. It took time, effort and an understanding that the world within Division was ambiguous and always gray, but once they were reunited, their bond became even stronger than before.

Nikita could never have survived if not for Seymour Birkhoff, a tech genius and former anarchist who had been brought to Division at the same time she had. Every organization needs an expert in software, hardware and security measures and he became part of Percy's plan to rule. Percy kept him on a short leash and he followed his orders, but there was another side to him that he kept in reserve.

Friendship wasn't recognized within the black ops organization, but behind the firewall known as protocol, he and Michael had developed a camaraderie and an understanding grew between them. Nikita also understood him, she knew he had a heart and beneath the complacency and bravado his past as an anarchist had defined him. It was his genuine affection for Nikita, his friendship with Michael and knowing Percy could snap his neck at anytime that convinced him to leave Division and go rogue. He had come to believe dying for what was right, was far better than living for something so wrong. When he left, it was with a hundred million dollars stashed in offshore accounts, courtesy of Shadow Walker, the computer hacker he had been in a past life. The money was now available to fund Team Nikita.

What Nikita needed was an inside man and she found one in Ryan Fletcher, a CIA analyst. He had stumbled on data that led back to a black hole within the DoD's budget, and that black hole was Division. The noise he made about it made him a liability, and Percy decided to make him the perfect patsy. He would be blamed for an assassination and military coup in Chile. It was absurd to think that Ryan could do such a thing, but he was sent to South America under false pretenses and a case was made against him. He would have been executed by their government or killed by Rebels, but Nikita learned he knew about Division and rescued him. Upon his return to the CIA, he was so high-profile, no one would touch him and he began to feed Nikita the intel she needed. But Ryan was never off of Division's radar and at one point Amanda had captured him and faked his death. She wanted his knowledge for her own purposes. Nikita mourned the loss of her friend but when she found that Ryan was still alive, their allegiance to each other was cemented.

The most complicated, and at it's core, simplest relationship Nikita had was with Michael. When she was inside Division, Michael was her cornerstone and she was the one who kept him out of darkness. They knew that something more than friendship and admiration had grown between them, but Michael was still consumed with vengeance and would not recognize what Nikita knew, they loved each other. Instead, Michael rejected his feelings for her and she eventually found solace in the arms of another. He warned her that a relationship with a civilian was dangerous, but she refused to break it off out of spite and loneliness. On the day she discovered Division had murdered her lover Daniel, she started planning her escape.

Once she was gone, Michael became Nikita's enemy and was assigned to kill her. With each opportunity he failed and the inner conflict he lived with became clear. Percy finally convinced him that she stood in his way for exacting his revenge and his hatred overshadowed reality. He black mailed Nikita into helping him, but when his vengeance was almost palatable, he finally learned the truth about his family. It was Percy who was behind the car bomb that took their lives.

Michael had spent years within the walls of Division, justifying his role and playing the part of a man who believed in serving the greater good. Knowing those years were a lie, he was lost, and after all the turmoil between them, he realized Nikita was the only light in his dark world. When he came to her, she welcomed him into that light and into her arms and the love they had for each other was no longer denied.

As the members of the New Division gathered around the table, they knew they were still a force to be reckoned with. When the CIA contacted Ryan Fletcher, and told him Amanda and Ari had kidnapped an NYPD Detective, and a man who had been wronged by one of Percy's botched programs, Nikita knew Vincent Keller was a victim and Catherine Chandler was an innocent and this self made dream-team had a mission to accomplish.

 

The Plight

For whatever reason, and Catherine knew there had to be one, Amanda agreed to let her see Vincent. The guards led her down a corridor and she did her best to memorize the route they took and to look for any identifying marks, but each corridor looked like the one before it, until she passed a set of double doors with windows. She craned her neck and saw it was a laboratory. It had equipment like Evan's lab in the M.E.'s office, plus much more. She got a glimpse of a man and a woman wearing white lab coats.

They pushed her ahead and stopped in front of a metal door. One guard uncuffed her and held her back while the other took out a loaded tranq gun.

"No!" Catherine begged. "Please don't do this to him."

The guard looked at her as if she were crazy. "He'll tear you apart limb by limb." He spoke with a Russian accent.

"He won't hurt me! Call Amanda, she'll want to know this! Please, ask her!" She said frantically.

The guard was intrigued by this petite brunette with the fiery attitude. He had been watching her and thought she would be  _a challenge._ He gave her a suggestive look that made her skin crawl. "Okay, but I want you to remember I'm doing you this favor."

Repulsed by his behavior Catherine forced herself to nod her head in agreement.

The guard pressed the Com unit in his ear. "This is Dmitri, I am sorry to disturb you, but the prisoner asks permission to enter the monster's cell without us using the tranq gun on him." He paused a moment as if listening to instructions. "I understand."

He leered at her. "Amanda says you can go in by yourself, we will give you the tranquilizer and you can use it on him, if he doesn't kill you first."

Catherine took the tranq gun from him, she wasn't afraid of Vincent, but she was terrified of what they were doing to him.


	3. Chapter 3

Collusion

"Jesus, they could have just asked." J.T. muttered, standing amongst the debris and disorder that was once his home.

He returned to the Warehouse to find the CIA or NSA or whoever's initials you wanted to use, had been there and tossed the place that had already been left in shambles.

He righted a table and a chair and looked around helplessly before going to the refrigerator. It was still stocked with beer and he mentally thanked his intruders for their compassion. J.T. grabbed one and popped the cap off using the edge of the counter. He finished it in two pulls and considered another one, when he heard a woman's voice call out.

"J.T. Forbes! Tess Vargas, NYPD." She used her best authoritative voice. "J.T.!" She knocked on the door and it swung open. She wasn't alone, Evan was with her and they looked at each other tentatively before walking in.

They found J.T. sitting in a chair at a battered table with another beer in his hand.

"If I had known you were coming, I would have stopped at the store and gotten a cheese ball and crackers." He said sarcastically.

"You're not much for house keeping are you?" Tess looked around at the emptied drawers and overturned furniture.

"The maid had the day off..." he started to say when Evan interjected, "We're here because of Catherine. We need to talk."

J.T. had heard that tone of voice and seen the look in his eyes before. It was the same vibe he got when Vincent was worried about Cat.

Tess righted another chair and pushed it toward Evan before picking up another one and sitting down.

"Beer?" J.T. asked politely, not knowing what they wanted from him.

"No thanks." Tess wasn't sure why they were here, but both he and Evan agreed, they had to do something.

"We want your help and to offer ours to you." Evan stated. "We're concerned about Cat and this secrecy around her disappearance. Perhaps it would be productive if we shared more information."

It was obvious to Tess that Evan's interest in Cat was more than just professional, but she already knew that. She turned toward J.T. "Cat and I had come off a case a few days before she disappeared, the perp roughed her up and she claimed that she was able to fight him off and subdue him. I've seen her seriously kick some ass, but I couldn't help but think she was hiding something, like how the friggin' door was ripped off it's hinges. She was in the hospital overnight and Joe put her on mandatory leave. I dropped her off at her place and that was the last time any of us saw her."

Tess looked uncertain. "I don't know about you, but this whole thing about forget it ever happened and moving on isn't going to work for me."

"You said she was involved with your friend. How can you be sure?" Evan asked.

J.T. took a breath and released it. "I told you, I was on a faculty retreat and I don't know what went down between the afternoon of the ninth, when I left, and when I showed up at your precinct." He hesitated for a moment. "Vincent is like a brother to me. What happened to him, what he has gone through is more than a nightmare. Murifield broke him into little pieces, but Catherine had started putting those pieces back together. I didn't approve of his obsession with her and in the beginning I thought it was one-sided, but it wasn't. She was totally in to him too, and was always coming around here, if she didn't show up, even I got worried. They both knew it was crazy, but in the end I guess it was easier to give in, then try to stay apart. When I came home, it was obvious they had been together. The bed was unmade and there were condoms left out." He saw a flicker of pain pass cross Evan's face.

Tess quickly filled the awkward silence. "So we know they had been taken at the same time and you said this Murifield was responsible, but I did some digging." She saw the alarm on their faces.

"Take it easy. I went to the public library and Googled them. There wasn't a lot of information, I think their presence has been scrubbed from the internet, but I found a conspiracy blog that said their facility was torched and burned to the ground on the seventh, that was two days before you left."

The color left J.T.'s face. "What are you saying? Someone else took them?"

 

Tracking

Birkhoff hunched over his keyboard and tapped on the keys, his eyes shifted from one computer monitor to another. "Yes!" he yelled. "Who you gonna call when you're looking for ex Gogol agents!"

"Nice work, those energy drinks must be working." Alex tried to look serious, but she ended up grinning and shaking her head at his techie swagger. She had come to Operations to meet with Sean and Nikita to make plans. Her arm was in a sling and steal healing from being shot during her last mission.

He gave up a a crooked smile. "Thanks to the DoD satellite, I have eyes on the residence slash hideout of Vincent Keller and his room mate J.T. Forbes." He pressed a few keys and a photo of both men appeared on the screen. "Sixteen days ago, this was the scene on the perimeter of the building." An ariel view of the building and property popped up next to the pictures of the two men.

He zoomed in on the parking lot in front of the warehouse. "The place could use some landscaping." He said dryly. "They had visitors who I suspect didn't call ahead to let them know they were coming."

Alex bit her lip. "Those two vans should have  _Ex Gogol_  signs painted on their roofs." She twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "Our vic is a real hottie." She said under her breath.

"You mean J.T., right?" Sean appeared out of nowhere and heard Alex's muffled comment. "He's a Bio-Chemist and we know how hot they are."

Alex gave him a dirty look. "I just meant that Vincent appears to be in good shape, you know, fit."

"I agree." They turned to see Nikita walk in. Her status in Division had been elevated along with her shoes. They were Prada and so was her sleek cashmere dress. "He's definitely a hottie."

She studied the images on the screen and a loathsome expression appeared on her face. "Can you track those agents?"

Birkhoff pushed the hair out of his face. "Working on it... checking the traffic cams and satellite feeds, it'll take a minute." He hunched over his keyboard.

"Ryan's having Sonya dig in the archives for more info on Murifield." Nikita looked toward Alex and Sean. "What's your take on the family, friends and co-workers."

Birkhoff looked up and played his keyboard like a concert pianist. He squinted his eyes at the head shots that appeared on the screen. "Does the dad look familiar to you?"

Sean rocked back on his heels. "We did a background check on him and he's clean and so is her sister. They've been placed in a safe house and neither is in a position or inclined to make any trouble. The precinct lieutenant is a stand up guy, I spoke to him and he understands why they can't pursue the case. But these three," he pointed to the images of Tess, Evan and J.T., "they're friends with our vics, and are loyal. J.T. doesn't outwardly appear to be the heroic type, but he's kept his friend alive for ten years and that's worth mentioning. Catherine's partner, Tess Vargas is bright and knows the ins and outs of the department. She's a good detective, but she's emotionally invested in her friend and so is the Medical Examiner, Dr. Evan Marks, who I thought seemed a little preoccupied with Catherine Chandler and her relationship with Vincent Keller.

"Alex, will you keep an eye on them? I know it's only a step up from office work, but it would get you out in the field and be really helpful." Nikita suggested, she knew the young agent was feeling antsy. "You can take Sean for back up."

Alex gave Sean a sideways look. "Okay, but what are you going to be doing?"

Birkhoff jumped up out of his chair and it clattered and skittered back and boasted, "I found them!"

A devious look appeared on Nikita's face. "Michael and I are going hunting."

 

The Deal

Catherine couldn't see him, but she could hear his labored breathing when she entered his cell. He huffed in and out as though he were gasping for air.

"Vincent? It's Catherine, I'm here." Her voice was clear but she trembled with uncertainty and held the tranq gun in front of her.

Suddenly, he appeared, standing no more than six feet away from her. His eyes darted around and she could see the tension in his body. Underneath his breathing she could hear a low steady growl.

"It's me. Vincent you need to come back to me." She lowered the gun in her hands.

He took a step closer and Catherine could feel his fetid breath on her face. She could see, even as a Beast he was confused.

She slowly placed the gun on the floor and reached out to him. "I know you won't hurt me. I'm not afraid of you because I love you."

The words circled the Beasts psyche and his breathing slowed down. He shuddered and dropped his head down and a few moments later Vincent was back. He fell to his knees and into Catherine's arms.

"Vincent?" She said breathlessly cradling his head against breast. She stroked the hair out of his face.

"Catherine..." he murmured. "Why are you crying? Did I hurt you?"

"No, I'm fine. I'm just glad that you're here." She could see the confusion and anxious fatigue on his face. "Sit back and rest." She whispered before helping him lean against the wall. "Stay with me."

Catherine went to the door and beat on it with her fist. "I want to talk to Amanda!" She demanded. "Let us out of here. If you want us for your experiments, than you have to take care of us." She continued to pound the door. "I want to talk to Amanda! Now!"

She knew this was a risk, but she was backed into a corner and she had to do something. Keeping them alive was her priority.

"Let us out! I want to talk to her, NOW!"

Amanda's voice came over a speaker in the room, she sounded annoyed. "Catherine, you're hardly in the position to make demands."

"You want me to cooperate? This is what you have to do. We need food, water and clean clothes. You have to take him off of these drugs, you have to let me make him understand, otherwise we will both end up dead, and no one including you, wants us to die in here."

She knelt down next to Vincent. "Vincent..." She whispered so quietly that only he could hear her. "They are watching us and listening. We have to be careful."

A glimmer of recognition crossed his face. "What have they done to me?"

"Just stay with me, stay awake." She was calm on the outside, but inside she was consumed with anger and anxiety.

Catherine spoke to the walls. "I have something that might help Anton, but I will only give it to you if you give me these things in return."

A few minutes passed and she thought they had ignored her pleas, but then the door slowly opened and the guard named Dmitri came in holding his assault rifle in front of him.

"Amanda has agreed to your request, but says this is provisional and will depend on your level of cooperation." I am to take you to a room where you can shower." He leered at her again. "Maybe, I can help wash your back."

She balled up her fists and suppressed the urge to kick him, mostly because her leg wasn't completely healed, but also because she knew there would be another opportunity, a better one.

"Stay back." Dmitri said in a stern voice and picked up the tranq gun, tucking it into his belt.

Vincent's eyes were glassy and he was still disoriented when she urged him to stand. Once he was on his feet, he squeezed his eyes shut and swayed. She could see he was in pain and this reminded her there were other things to worry about.

The room stopped spinning and Vincent took Catherine into his arms embracing her. "Catherine, you can't trust them." He whispered into her ear.

Inside of Amanda's office, Ari raised his eyebrows and looked at her. "She's quite the spitfire isn't she."

Amanda's irritation was clearly visible. "Detective Chandler doesn't tell me what to do. However, I know when to choose my battles and I'm not so small minded that I don't see the value in what she's saying."

She gave Ari a dark look. "I am still in control, but I'm curious about her offer."

"Yes, of course darling." Ari chuckled. "You wear your evil so well."


	4. Chapter 4

Take Down

With his back pressed against a tree, Michael peered toward the building, the moonlight cast enough light for him to see the guards, two in front of the entrance, two circling the perimeter. He signaled Nikita and raised his weapon to cover her and she silently scurried to the wall, crouching beneath it.

It took patience, but eventually one guard walked by her on his rounds. Nikita took a stick and snapped it in half, the noise was just enough to draw him closer. When he was a few feet away she made her move, standing and kicking his legs out from under him while at the same time grabbing his assault rifle and banging it hard against his head. He fell to the ground in a heap and she pulled out some zip ties and bound his hands and feet and gagged him, stuffing his stocking cap into his mouth.

Michael watched the scene with a great deal of pleasure and even though they had used this play many times before, he never tired of seeing her in action. Once she gave him the signal, he quietly joined her.

The noise was just enough to alert the other guard and he shuffled over toward them.

"Brad?" The guard whispered into the dark.

"A zdesʹ" Michael muttered in flawless Russian and when the guard walked closer, he took him down with little effort and tied him up.

Nikita looked at Michael with a perplexed look on her face and whispered, "Brad?"

Michael returned the look and shrugged. They continued on to their next mark, taking out the two men who guarded the front entry. They attacked from behind, Nikita used the borrowed assault weapon and clubbed the back of one guard's head, while Michael grabbed the other man, spun him around and used his fist to take him down.

Their Division back up was right behind them and two of the team would secure the perimeter and take the guards to an undisclosed location for questioning. The others followed Nikita and Michael.

Michael picked the front door lock easily, almost too easily and he knew the inferior security merited questioning. He and Nikita entered first, their Glocks poised to shoot while they swept the first room.

"Clear." Nikita stated and signaled their back up to enter and they continued to search each room.

In the dusty and dilapidated kitchen, the only clean spot on the floor was in front of a door. Nikita opened it, while Michael covered her and they descended down a set of stairs into the cellar and into the darkness. The air was cold, dank and smelled of mildew. They listened intently and it was silent, not even a hum from a computer or a ticking from a clock could be heard. Michael pulled out his flashlight and it created a beam of light, circling the empty room until it lit up a small cassette tape player on the floor.

They stealthily approached the object, checking to see if it was wired to be a bomb, but it appeared to be what it was, an old cassette tape player. Nikita gingerly picked it up and breathed a sigh of relief. Michael took it from her and pressed the play button.

_"Tell Birkhoff, nice try but as you can see, he must be losing his touch."_

The voice on the recording was Amanda's.

 

The Irony of it All

Dmitri and three other guards prodded Catherine and partially dragged Vincent down another long corridor and opened another identical looking metal door. Like every room in their mystery prison, it had painted concrete floors, no windows and little furniture. They pushed Vincent in first and he stumbled onto the floor. Catherine pulled free from the guard to help him, but Dmitri stopped her.

"You will either be killed by this monster or you'll come to your senses, and if it's the latter, I'll be here waiting for you." He looked amused and hungry.

She had never felt such loathing for another human being. "Then I'll die." She said through gritted teeth. Dmitri sneered at her and gave her a little shove and the door closed with a clank behind her.

The room was larger than the padded cell Vincent had been kept in. She zeroed in on an alcove with a tiled shower stall, hoping she could help him come around if she could get him under the water.

She managed to get him to his feet but he swayed precariously, he was confused and disoriented and it took time to coax him into the shower. His eyes were unfocused and she propped him up against the tile wall, but his head lolled from side to side and he slowly slid down until he was sitting on the stall floor.

"Can you stand? Vincent, can you hear me?" She asked taking his face in her hands and stroking his cheek.

He was silent and she could see he was weak and dehydrated. She cursed their captors, how could they do this to him? Out of desperation, she turned the shower on, the cold blast of water pelted down on them and startled them both awake. It was painfully cold at first, but the water began to warm up and became tolerable. She took his boots off and tossed them aside.

Catherine, patted his cheeks in an effort to wake him up, his eyes fluttered open and she stood and pulled on his arm. She could see the bruising and puncture marks where an I.V. had been attached and she fought to keep her anger under control. When she finally got him on his feet, she stripped his t-shirt off over his head. His chest had several puncture marks near his heart and the sight of them caused her to weep, but the warm water from the shower hid her tears.

Vincent seemed to respond to her touch. He reached out with both hands and balanced himself against the tiled wall and she managed to slide his jeans and boxer shorts off of him. Along the edge of the wall, was a plastic carrier with soap and she quickly unwrapped it and did her best to wash him. Even in these dire circumstances, she thought how ironic it was, their first shower together would be here, as prisoners of some psychopathic bitch.

She took the bar of soap and reached up to wash his hair and as she ran her fingers through it to rinse away the residue, he lifted his head and looked at her with coherent eyes. It was the first time since they had been taken that she felt he had come back to her.

"Catherine." He said her name before hugging her against him. His memories were spotty, but not his love and need for her, they came back to him as the warm water showered down on them.

She clung to him. "Vincent, we're going to be okay. We will get out of here." She started to cry and buried her face into his shoulder, the burden of worry and fear was suddenly too much for her to carry.

He held her and after a few minutes, her sobs subsided. His hands moved to the hem of the hospital scrubs she wore and he pulled them up and over her head. She slid the pants she wore down and kicked them aside. She had forgotten she was wearing them, the cotton scrubs had been plastered against her skin and once removed, she felt free, like she had been released from some unseen shackles.

With clumsy, shaking hands, Vincent slowly washed her hair. The bar of soap was harsh but the tenderness in his touch was so sweet. She felt his soapy hands run over her shoulders and arms and down her back and she felt the last two weeks of tears and terror dissolve and wash down the drain.

The water began to cool down and Catherine turned the shower off and looked up into Vincent's face, she saw a range of emotions from gratitude to fear to love that she didn't know he could display. She led him out of the shower and into the adjacent room and felt almost thankful to her captors when she saw towels and clean clothes piled up on a bench. She handed a towel to Vincent and took another for herself. She suddenly felt modest and wrapped it around herself and when she bashfully looked over her shoulder, she could see the fatigue settling over him.

"Sit down, I don't want you to pass out on me." She urged him down on the bench. The relief she had felt started to dissipate, until he reached out and pulled her into his arms.

"Catherine, you've saved me again."

* * *

The clothes left for them were basic orange prison jumpsuits and Catherine's hung on her small frame, but she managed to roll the pants legs up so they weren't dragging on the floor. They were scratchy, but clean and she felt almost normal. The incision on her leg was still closed and healing and the pain was negligible. She found a comb and carefully tugged it through her tangled hair before going to work on Vincent's.

When she was done, they found a bin filled with bottled water and the first real looking food she had seen in two weeks. They feasted on bread rolls with slices of cheese and meat and ate apples with peanut butter. The water and food cleared their heads enough to remind them how exhausted they were. When they were done, they fell on the metal framed bed that was bolted to the floor. It was small for Vincent, but he could have slept in a cardboard box as long as Catherine was next to him.

"How long have we been here?" He asked quietly, his raspy voice was soft against her ear.

"It's been over two weeks, sixteen or seventeen days. I don't know the exact day or time." She whispered back.

"After all we've been through in the past few months, I could have never imagined this." He stroked her hair back from her face and looked at her sadly.

She settled back into his arms and felt herself drifting. There had been so many pictures in her head and one was more vivid than the others. "I saw a lab, with equipment and two people in white lab coats." She murmured to him.

She felt him tense up with anger, the tone in his voice was harsh. "They are the ones who've drugged me, they strapped me down and..."

"Vincent... don't go there, we're here together. I'm here." She caressed his face with her hands and met him half way for a slow and gentle kiss, she could feel him calm.

Catherine continued to soothe him. "We need to sleep. I need to sleep." Vincent pulled her against him and she felt warm and loved and very determined that they would escape this horrible place.

 

Next Steps

When Tess and Evan left the warehouse, J.T. was salvaging what he could and putting into practice what he hoped he would never have to do.

He called the University and told them he needed time off for a personal emergency and prayed he would come back to his position, that is, if he still had one. He cancelled his service and removed the chip from his cell phone and stuck it into his pocket. Every night for the past four years, he had diligently copied his computer files to an external hard drive that was hidden in the wall behind the refrigerator. He retrieved it and placed it into his messenger bag. He found a screwdriver and dismantled his lap top, taking the hard drive out and tucked it in the bag as well.

Then he took his baseball bat and beat the hell out of his dead cell phone and lap top until all that was left were fragments and pieces. Afterward he felt better than he imagined. He would buy a burner, a new computer and get a new I.P. address.

He took three plastic boxes and filled them with a few books and some clothes and took those and his messenger bag out to his car. He took off, not once looking behind at the last ten years of his life.

J.T. drove east and stopped at the first storage facility he saw. He rented a garage space and pulled his car and his few possessions into it. He locked it up and left, with only the clothes on his back and his messenger bag slung over his shoulder, knowing he had to find someplace to hide out until he figured out what to do next.

* * *

Tess and Evan returned to their Precinct, and to their respected offices. There was a stack of mundane paper work for her to go through and he had bodies, lining his lab, needing autopsies. They both went to work, still troubled by Cat's disappearance, but knowing they wouldn't idly stand by.

Their meeting with J.T. put them on the same page. They got on his computer and through back door channels Tess found a Fire Department report dated for the seventh of a building that had burned down. The info was sparse and sketchy but it was enough to convince them that it had been Murifield.

Then who took Vincent and Cat? The three of them knew the man in black, Sean Pierce, who came to tell them to move on, was their only lead. An on-line search came up with dozens of possibilities, including a link to a U.S. Senator who had died in a car explosion. After his mother had been murdered, Birkhoff had removed all of Sean's photos from the internet, but Tess was certain this must be the man, he was an ex-Navy Seal and she knew when they first met him he was fearless. How they would contact him would be tricky, but Evan agreed to seek out Joe Bishop and use his position as the Medical Examiner to see if he could find anything out and Tess would keep tabs on J.T.

J.T. gave Evan three flash drives that were hidden inside an unusable metal pipe on the ceiling. They contained all the research on Vincent's DNA and the failed steps they had taken to find a way to reverse the effects. He felt tentative about turning them over, Evan made him jumpy and he sensed he had an agenda that was fueled by mistrust, and and although he tried to hide it, jealousy.

When J.T. stepped into a cab to take him back into the city, he told himself to think things out and stop being so paranoid. The years he had spent hiding Vincent from the world had taught him to be cautious and prepared, but he was completely rattled by his present circumstances. That is why he felt he was being watched, but he shrugged it off, he had real things to worry about.

He should have listened to his gut.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Someone's Watching

From the warehouse to a storage facility and into the city, they followed him to a run down hotel, in a sketchy neighborhood on the Lower East Side. They knew J.T.'s history with Vincent made him a target and that's why Alex and Sean kept eyes on him.

Alex held up a pair of binoculars to get a better view. "It's really sad, the intel says they just got together, even though everything was against them, and now this. How does a New York City Cop and her Super Soldier boyfriend end up as Amanda's prisoner." She balanced the binoculars in one hand and winced when she moved too quickly. It was considered a flesh wound but her upper arm still hurt and her refusal to take any pain meds didn't help.

Sean sat beside her in the driver's seat and reached over and gently took the binoculars out of her hand. "You really need to take it easy. I know from experience if you pull those sutures out, you'll be in a world of hurt."

"I appreciate your concern." She gave him a sly smile. "It's great to have you here to carry my stuff around." He had become a good friend to her and sometimes she thought it was more but she couldn't be sure. Both of them were still sorting through their baggage.

Being around a girl you really like, and hoping she likes you back, reminded Sean of being eighteen again. For a moment, he basked in the nostalgia of his youth, but the moment passed.

"You don't always get to choose who you fall in love with." He said quietly. "Sometimes it just happens, I imagine it was that way for Catherine and Vincent. Maybe it was the adversity in their lives that strengthened their bond."

"I know it was that way for Nikita and Michael. When I met Nikita, she would never admit to me that she loved him. The first time I saw them together I was totally confused because I knew something was going on, yet they acted like enemies. Now it's so obvious, what they have is special. It's based on trust, understanding and forgiveness."

"Michael told me they hadn't laid eyes on each other for over three years. When they finally met, she shot him." He smirked, but the amusement faded and was replaced with something much more serious.

"Alex, you put yourself in harms way every time you walk out the door and I understand it's in the job description, but one of these days your luck is going to run out."

He knew this was a touchy subject but he needed to say it. "You have your life ahead of you, is it worth it?"

Alex looked at him defiantly. "Yes, it is. My life was worthless until Nikita gave me this one." She thought he might start arguing with her, but instead his eyes wandered toward the hotel entrance on the opposite side of the street.

"J.T.'s got company."

Behind the tinted glass windows of their car, they saw Evan Marks, the M.E. disappear inside.

* * *

"Social call?" J.T. asked by way of greeting. He had texted Tess his whereabouts and new cell number and Evan had wasted no time in seeking him out.

Evan ignored the glib comment. "The information on the flash drives you provided has proved to be very interesting. I can't very well discuss this with my other colleagues, and since you have been studying his DNA for years, I wanted to share my findings."

"Go on." This was the first opportunity J.T. had to discuss Vincent, with someone other than Vincent, but he also knew, this was as much about Cat as it was the science.

"I have DNA samples from various crime scenes around the city and I've studied each of them carefully. All of them match and all belong to Vincent."

"His DNA is mutating and the animal nucleotides are becoming more prominent." The discovery seemed to excite him. "If you like I can show you my notes. You can deduce where I'm going with this, what he is turning into... and I believe it will be permanent."

J.T. shook his head. "For years, we have taken blood samples and analyzed them and they have been consistent with little change, but we did adjust for one factor, and that was how his physiology, specifically his hormonal levels are altered when he becomes hulk like. What you're finding in those samples reflects how Vincent's DNA has evolved, kinda like an adolescent Beast becomes a man Beast."

He saw the doubt on Evan's face. "Look, I know Vincent the man and I know him when he gets his freak on. I've seen it more than anyone. There's no way of really understanding what's going on with his chemistry without turning him into a lab rat. Over the years, we've tried a few things, but I would never purposely do experiments on him when he's morphed out. It would be dangerous, it could kill him."

J.T. could almost see his brain trying to process the information and he kept talking. "I don't give a rats ass about nucleotides and L2 Capsid numbers, what I do care about is his life and Cat's life. For ten years we've been hiding from Murifield, and now they've been incinerated. We don't know who kidnapped them or who we're dealing with. Did you find anything out?"

Evan was disappointed to realize he didn't really know much about Vincent Keller. He saw J.T. staring at him suspiciously.

"I did approach Joe, and he refused to share any information, however I managed to liberate a business card from his desk and copy it. It was for Sean Pierce, Special Liaison for Multi-Agency Task Force. The number goes straight to voicemail. It doesn't appear..."

But he was unable to finish the sentence when he saw J.T.'s stunned expression as he fell to the floor. Before he could react, he felt a sting on the side of his neck. The last clear thought he had was ' _tranquilizer dart_.'

 

Dealing with the Devil

The metal door to their prison cell was thrown open and the unexpected banging of metal on metal startled both Catherine and Vincent awake. The noise roused him out of a deep sleep and he bolted upright. Without the benefit of drugs to keep his senses dulled, Vincent's adrenaline spiked and he became tense and his eyes glowed with anger.

Catherine wrapped her arms around him. "No... breathe." She whispered to him. "Don't let them hurt you."

Four guards walked in followed by Amanda and a man in a white lab coat.

"Hello you lovebirds," she said sarcastically. "I hope you're feeling better." She looked at Catherine. "That was our deal. Right?"

Vincent looked confused and agitated but Catherine's presence kept him even. "What is she talking about? Catherine, what deal?"

"Oh, that's right, you weren't around to participate in Detective Chandler's negotiations. You weren't yourself." Amanda was cold and sinister, she crossed her arms and looked at them with amusement.

"Vincent, trust me. I'll explain." Catherine pleaded.

He still held her in his arms but she felt the anxiety in his touch.

"It's time for you to chat with Anton. He has some questions and he'll determine if what you've offered us is of any value." Amanda nodded her head, and two of the guards pointed their weapons at them, one had a tranq gun and the other a rifle, the other two took Catherine by her arms and jerked her away.

"NO!" Vincent howled. "CATHERINE!" He cried out and his body became rigid, his pallour stone gray and his facial features began to change.

Catherine looked on helplessly as Vincent had lost control and the Beast emerged. Every breath he took was filled with anger and hostility and he started to hurl himself toward the guards, but the tranq gun went off and hit him in the shoulder.

It stopped the Beast and then Vincent toppled over.

"Take him to the lab." Anton ordered.

Catherine saw a maniacal look in his eyes, it frightened her. She watched them drag Vincent away.

"Now tell me what you have that is so important." He asked.

"Catherine, unless you want Vincent to suffer, you'd better answer him... and it better be good." Amanda hissed.

"My mother's notebook." She murmured with tears in her eyes. She was filled with misgivings and fear. "Please don't hurt him."

Anton raised his eyebrows and looked impressed. "You mean Vanessa Chandler's notes?"

Catherine nodded her head and looked away.

Both Anton and Amanda looked pleased. "Hmmm, not bad. Now once you tell us how to retrieve it, we'll let you be together again. Considering everything, I think that's generous."

"It's at the cemetery where my mother is buried. It's about two hundred feet east of her marker, in an urn, under an oak tree." Catherine confessed. She felt this might be a mistake, maybe the biggest one she had ever made, but the damage was done.

"I wouldn't put it past you to lie, so I think you're going on a little field trip. It seems Dmitri is just itching to take you someplace." She snapped her fingers and the two guards led Catherine away.

 

Three Point Shot

He pounded on his keyboard with vengeance and only stopped to down another energy drink. His hair hung in his face and his clothes were rumpled, he'd been running on little sleep and a lot of anger since receiving Amanda's message. Birkhoff was rarely fooled, which made the sting of sending Nikita and her team out to a bogus location, even worse. He had retraced his steps, but became unfocused and Sonya had to take over.

"Seymour? I need your help." These were words he had never heard her utter and it got his attention.

He looked more despondent than he should. "I don't know where I fucked up, where they made the switch." His inflated ego was flat and Sonya felt compassion for him. They all knew he was a genius, but few knew he could also be sweet and thoughtful.

"Those fake Gogol monkeys were no help. They're part of an organized crime ring in New Jersey and Amanda and Ari hired them to keep an eye on that house. It was all a ruse, but I should have seen it." He berated himself.

"None of us could have seen it. She's a master of deception and playing games." Sonya knew first hand, she had worked under Amanda, running logistics and she saw the evil in her.

"Look here." She pointed to her computer monitor and froze the image. "I think she hijacked the traffic cams here, and replaced them with a loop for about three minutes, enough for them to get on, and for us to follow the decoy."

Birkhoff hung is head. "Jeezus, that's classic. I've done this myself, I should have..."

Sonya put her hand over his. "Please don't. It won't help."

He acknowledged her with a forced smile. He wasn't used to someone like Sonya caring about him. She was pretty and probably smarter than he was. "Yeah, but I can't help it, I hate her."

"We all do Nerd." Nikita interjected. She and Michael walked into Operations, they had returned to Division in record time thanks to hitching a ride on a foreign diplomat's helicopter.

"But this isn't over, it's just beginning. We got a message from Alex and Sean, J.T. Forbes and Evan Marks were picked up by a posse of men in a black panel van. They were alive but unconscious."

"We know they're taking them to Amanda. She must need their knowledge and insight to help her fill in the blank spots on her scheme." Michael added.

"Once they send the coordinates, we'll be ready." Nikita stated. "The ball's in our court now."

"And, it's time for a three pointer. Amanda will be sorry..." Birkhoff added under his breath.

* * *

She changed lanes and stepped on the accelerator, the engine roared to keep up with the black sedan that kept moving out of her sight. Tess wasn't sure who the car belonged to but she knew they were both following the same black panel van.

When she found out Evan was going to meet J.T., she followed him and watched him from the third floor of the building across the street. A panel van pulled up and four men walked in and a few minutes later, they came out out carrying the unconscious bodies of Evan and J.T. and depositing them in the van.

She frantically raced down the stairs toward her car, when she saw a black sedan peel out. She followed them, having no idea who they were or what she was dealing with. She was always cautious and by the book, but there was no way she could call for back up. Tess knew, she was on her own.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Flowers, Fruit Basket & Lies

J.T. groaned and the sound of his voice echoed inside his head. His mouth was dry and it was painful to swallow, and that, he realized, was due to the duct tape plastered across his face. When he opened his eyes, his glasses were gone and everything was hazy and out of focus. He tried to move his arms and legs and discovered his captors must have had a fondness for more duct tape.

"This is bad, very bad." He thought to himself pulling at his restraints. The light was dim and he squinted trying to make out anything familiar.

"Good, you're awake."

He was startled by the voice that crept up behind him. It was a male with an Eastern European accent. These must be the people who took Vincent and Catherine he thought to himself.

The voice chuckled. "All this drama, it seems so unnecessary. We are both scientists, not government funded stunt men. We do all the work and are responsible for making the world turn."

He walked around to face him. "Do you not agree?" He grabbed the edge of the tape and ripped it off J.T.'s face with a happy expression.

"Awwwwow!" J.T. croaked out. "Who... the hell... are you?" He whimpered, his voice was hoarse and strained.

"My name is Anton Petriv. I am a Geneticist and you're in my place of employment. Think of yourself as a contract worker. Our goal is to make good use of your time with us. Your new employers send their best regards."

"Flowers and a fruit basket would have done it." J.T squirmed against his restraints, while the bad scientist looked on.

Anton ignored the remark. "I understand you have knowledge pertaining to Operation Murifield. It is a pet project of mine."

Murifield. He knew he was in big trouble. "What's Operation Murifield?" He lied. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a bio-chem teacher, I don't do research."

Anton snapped his fingers and a large, stocky man with a shave head came forward and hovered over J.T.

"Amanda tells me I must punish liars." He looked pleased when the man struck him with a tight fist.

J.T. slumped over and moaned, the taste of blood in his mouth. He could let this thug beat him to a pulp or he could play their game.

"Okay, okay... stop. I get it. But I don't have any answers. If I could have reversed what they did to Vincent, I would have." He must still be alive, he thought to himself. They need him.

"We expect cooperation!" Anton nodded and the thug took out a knife and brought it close to J.T.'s face.

He grimaced in fear and shut his eyes tight, anticipating the worst, instead he was cut loose from his bounds.

Anton and the thug chuckled while J.T. peeled off the tape and rubbed his wrists.

He patted his shirt pocket and found his eye glasses and put them on even though the lenses were smudged and the frames bent. He took a good look around and considered taking them off, his surroundings looked much better without them.

* * *

While J.T. was being bullied, Amanda looked on from her perch. She turned the computer monitor toward Evan, who was also coming around.

His mind felt slow and thick and his speech was slow, his words slightly slurred. "What do you want with me?"

Amanda gave the Medical Examiner another look. She liked what she saw, a tall, handsome doctor, who she felt could be easily manipulated. His British accent was a bonus, although she much preferred the Russians.

"Dr. Marks, it's a pleasure to meet you?" She asked with insincere politeness. "I do apologize for the heavy handed way you were brought here, but it was better to be safe than sorry."

Evan looked at her, malicious and merciless were the first words that came to mind. She was immaculately dressed and quite attractive, but her demeanor was cold and severe. "I'm afraid you didn't answer my question. Why am I here?"

Amanda took on a business like persona. She talked to him as if she was in sales. "Like you, we are trying to further science. Our goal is to finish the work that was abruptly halted ten years ago. Who among us wouldn't want to see improvements in the human condition?"

"The cross species DNA... that's why I'm here." He mumbled. "Why would you think I would be a willing accomplice to your work?"

Amanda smirked. "I know how fond you are of Detective Chandler." Amanda saw his eyes widen and look at her with concern. "She is also our guest and I know you wouldn't want her to be harmed in anyway."

"Catherine's innocent, she's been caught up in this mayhem because of that, that monster, Vincent Keller." He was visibly upset and Amanda made note of that.

"I see what you mean." She tapped on her computer keyboard and a new video feed came up. It was of Catherine being held at gun point by a guard.

"Catherine refused to leave Vincent when given the chance." Amanda lied. "She may not know who her true friends are and how much they truly care for her. If you join us, you could help her to understand that Vincent isn't the love of her life, he's a lie."

He watched the monitor and felt frightened for her and for himself, he knew this woman couldn't be trusted, but what she said, was what he believed all along.

 

Division II

"Alex? Where are you?" Nikita whispered to her over their Coms.

"We're about a half mile away, on the bluff northwest of the building, we've got a good view of the property."

Nikita crouched down next to Michael, studying the plans on his smartphone. They had circled the building on foot, a rectangular shaped concrete and steel structure, it was surrounded by a fence with razor wire, and from their vantage point it looked lifeless and abandoned.

Birkhoff came on the Com. "You're looking at a former battery manufacturing plant, a Super Fund site contaminated by lead that was closed down in the seventies. I traced the owner and guess what? Owned by one of Percy's old shell companies, corporate papers have members of Oversight as their officers. It was going to be leased back to the government as a place to store Nukes, but I think you're looking at Division II."

"Son of a bitch." Michael's low voice vibrated over their Coms. "I had heard noise about this second facility, a place for Amanda to do her medical experiments. I always thought it was a rumor." The depravity of Percy and Amanda's past had come back to haunt them again.

Nikita looked at the building through her monocular. "Alex, you see which side they entered?"

"East side of the building, the fence opens and the van pulled into those roll up doors."

Birkhoff came on line. "If it was built by Percy, he was always a cheapskate, I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't a dumbed down version of Division. Same circular floor plans, elevators and mechanical in the center. In the meantime, I've powered down their surveillance system. You got four minutes and the best toys on the black market, use the bypass transmitter to short out the fence."

Suddenly, the garage doors rolled up and the black van, backed out and turned to exit.

"Nikita! Michael! You see that?" Alex's excited voice came over their Coms.

Nikita whispered into her Com. "Birkhoff, you got eyes on the van? Send a team to follow it."

"Gotcha, team is prepped and ready to go but their fifteen minutes out." Birkhoff replied.

"Sean and I will go, we're already here." Alex offered.

"Alex is right, we can pursue. Send the team to back us up." Sean agreed when he saw the pleading look on her face.

He turned to help Alex into the car, when a voice came out of nowhere.

"You James Bond or something?" Tess asked. She had her weapon pointed at them.

Alex stepped in front of Sean. "We can explain. In the meantime, that van we were tracking just took off again and we need to follow it. We are here to help Catherine and Vincent."

Sean eased Alex away from him. "Detective Vargas, you remember me? I told you, we want to help your partner, but we're running out of time."

Tess looked at them suspiciously. "Listen up 007, I am not moving on and letting this go."

"Then come with us." Alex said spontaneously. "I'm no threat and Sean won't hurt you."

"We have to move, now!" Sean scowled. "Alex get in the car."

"You got two choices. If you're going to shoot us, do it, otherwise get in, we have to go." Alex said breathlessly.

Tess lowered her weapon. "I must be 'friggin insane." She tucked her gun back in it's holster and sprinted to the car and got into the back seat. Within fifteen seconds, they took off, their tires throwing gravel behind them.

"Jeezus you guys, don't you know three's a crowd?" Birkhoff announced over the Coms. He had heard the exchange from Alex and Sean's point of view and shook his head. "The van's on the main highway, no other vehicles are following, 'cept you guys."

He looked at the clock. "Nikki, Michael, you have two minutes."

Michael pulled out a pocket size box that was the bypass transmitter and looked at Nikita.

"You ready to rock and roll?" She murmured, waiting for him to leave. Instead he leaned forward and kissed her and she grabbed the collar of his jacket to deepen the kiss and keep him close.

"Are you insane?" Birkhoff huffed. "Make out on your own time. You've got ninety three seconds."

Michael gave Nikita a lopsided smile and made his way to the fence, while Nikita covered him. He threw a piece of gravel at the base and a small spark sizzled. He opened the box and pulled out a coated wire with an alligator clip on the end and turned the dial in the box as far up as it would go. He attached the wire to the chain link. The box hummed and got hot in his hand.

Nikita joined him and took a hand full of dirt and gravel and threw it at the fence and it was cold. They exchanged a look that was equivalent to a high five, they had shorted out the fence and the electronic lock. Nikita took her pick lock set and went to work, it clicked open and she slid the fence gate over enough for them to enter and run toward the building."

"Surveillance cameras are back up, good luck you two." Birkhoff said with a sigh of relief. Team Nikita had become his family and although he knew they were kick ass in every way, he wondered if they pulled these antics just to torture him.

 

Stolen Memories

Before they left, she had been given street clothes, a pair of denim jeans, t-shirt and a hooded sweatshirt. Her captors knew the orange jump suit would attract attention if she were seen. She dressed herself and when she pulled the jeans on, she stretched her bad leg, it still hurt, but not enough to stop her.

Catherine was smart enough to be afraid and what she needed was a plan.

"Get in, of if you prefer, I could force you to get in." Dmitri's watery blue eyes had mocked her. He held her by the upper arm and squeezed it hard enough that Catherine gasped in pain.

She had refused to make eye contact with him and didn't resist getting into the vehicle. He pushed her down on the bench in the van and attached one end of a pair of handcuffs to an O ring and the other end to her wrist.

Dmitri pounded on the partician between them and the two men in front started the vehicle and backed out. The van jostled and made a turn and they slid to the right as it took a curve.

They had driven for maybe ten or fifteen minutes in silence. He stared at her in an intimidating way and she looked down at the white tennis shoes on her feet.

"Why is it that you are so stupid crazy? Don't you see it? He is a monster and protecting him is foolish." Dmitri sat across from her with his assault rifle cradled in his arms.

Catherine refused to look at him until he prodded her with the barrel of the weapon.

"We can't be too far from West Chester if we can drive." She said ignoring his tirade. Catherine knew getting out of the prison like fortress might be her only chance to get some help.

"You are observant. Amanda said we should put the hood on you, but I wanted to see your pretty face."

"Please don't hurt me." She said in a small scared voice, trying a new tactic.

He laughed at her. "I am not ignorant. You don't fool me." He pressed the barrel of his rifle against her chest pinning her against the wall of the van.

Catherine's hatred for the man continued to grow as the vehicle continued on it's way.

"Amanda tells me you used to be a policeman." He chuckled as though the thought was amusing.

"Not was, I am a police detective." She said teeming with anger.

Dmitri laughed at her again. "You are very funny." He removed the gun from her chest and settled back, glaring at her.

Catherine spent the next minutes thinking about Vincent and blocking everything else out of her head. These maniacs had taken them, but she was determined not to let Amanda and Anton take her memories as well. At the moment, they were all she had and she drew strength from them.

_Vincent, not J.T. was the socially awkward one, hiding for ten years had taken it's toll on him. He was smart and capable, but he had been alone for so long, he held her at arms length. It was true, Murifield and what they had done to him put her in danger, but it was also true he was afraid of getting close and caring too much._

_She thought about the only night they had together and how she felt when he kissed her. Passion made her weak in the knees, his honesty made her feel loved. His touch was gentle and he was concerned he might hurt her, but she showed him she might be delicate, but she wasn't fragile._

_She thought about how it felt to be standing in that shower, with his arms around her, and how protective they felt toward each other. And, she remembered the look on his face when they had taken her away._

Thinking about it hurt in ways she never imagined and she fought back her tears.

The van came to an abrupt halt. "What's the matter? Are you homesick?" Dmitri asked with contempt. "We are here. Now show me where this notebook is."


	7. Chapter 7

Control

"Why is it you bad guys have all the good stuff." J.T. muttered while ogling the well lit lab filled with state of the art equipment.

"Amanda and Ari have provided us with the best tools, they know our work will progress more rapidly if our equipment is not antiquated." Anton boasted.

"Sit." He pointed to a chair and the thug forced J.T. down into it.

The lab may have appeared shiny and new but he knew it held a dark and ominous prophesy of furthering evil.

"Dr. Forbes, we took the liberty of bringing your hard drive with us." Anton turned to the work table and typed a few characters in on his keyboard. J.T. saw the work and research he and Vincent had documented, scroll up on a large wall monitor.

"None of that worked." He said morosely. "After a while, we stopped looking for a cure and focused on finding a way to give him control over what he had become."

"That is exactly why we brought you here. Control. We do not feel your friend is suffering an affliction that needs to be cured, but rather, he has become part of a scientific discovery that we want to advance and control." Anton stated.

J.T. bristled at the statement. "Vincent is a human being, not some scientific discovery."

Anton looked cheerful. "I believe with your research and Dr. Marks' findings, plus the added bonus of Vanessa Chandler's notes, we will rapidly find success."

"Vanessa Chandler? Cat's mom? I looked at that notebook and it was detailed, but it never gave us a clue on how to reverse or gain control, it only helped with the side affects he suffered."

"Your failures have eliminated a great deal of wasted time on our end." Anton pointed to the screen and a group of experiments. "However, this I believe is worth revisiting."

J.T. recognized the experiment, it had seemed promising, but it came to a dead end. "Without the correct blood samples, there isn't a way to create an effective antidote, and there's no way Vincent's going to cooperate and give one up when he's tweaked out on his own adrenaline... wait... you're not going to try and experiment on him while he's transformed to Beast state?" He was visibly alarmed.

Anton pressed a button on the side of the table. A partition on the wall raised up and revealed a window, they were able to look into another room.

The biochemist broke out in a cold sweat at the sight of Vincent, strapped down with leather and metal restraints to a table. His skin was ghostly pale and he appeared to be unconscious.

An ageless blonde woman wearing a white lab coat stood alongside two guards who held tranq guns. Next to her was a stainless steel cart and she picked up a syringe with a needle that was at least six inches long.

"Why do you need to do this?" J.T. asked with a sense of dread.

Anton shrugged. "It is a necessary sacrifice."

"Lubov, are you ready? Increase the dosage and proceed." Anton spoke to her through a microphone suspended from the ceiling. There was no doubt at how thrilled he was over the prospects.

"Don't do this!" J.T. bolted out of his chair, but the guard knocked him on the side of the head with his weapon. J.T. fell back in a daze.

The woman looked unsure but hovered over Vincent and took a deep breath. The syringe was so large she held it in her fist, and she brought her arm back and with a quick firm gesture, she stabbed Vincent's chest with the needle and depressed the plunger.

J.T. looked on with horror as Vincent instantly became rigid and his eyes sprang open. Lubov stepped back, visibly frightened by what she had done.

Within a few seconds his coloring changed and the Beast appeared and howled with terror and pain.

"What are you doing? You're going to kill him." J.T. yelled.

"That was our fear, however, this is the fifth time that we have tried the procedure and he is still alive. He is much stronger than any of us had imagined. We have kept him heavily sedated, and once his vital signs drop, we inject adrenaline into his heart. It causes him to transform, but due to his previous passive state, we can keep him contained.""

"My God, you're all sick. He's a human being, even when he turns, he's still Vincent. What you're doing is barbaric and cruel." J.T.'s voice wavered as he watched his closest friend in the world being tortured and experimented on.

"Take the samples now." Anton ordered.

Lubov went to the stainless steel cart and picked up another syringe used to draw blood. She carefully approached the Beast who continued to fight against his restraints. The sound of his screams filled the room and her hands shook as she took a blood sample from his arm.

"His red blood cells are uniquely formed when he is this way. We are so pleased that these fresh samples can be used with your documented experiments. We should have a new large molecule drug very soon."

The sadistic look on his face deepened. "We expect you to work with us. If you refuse, there are other ways we can experiment on your friend. If you think this is harsh, you have no idea what we are capable of."

 

The Cemetery

"You must have questions." Alex slowly looked over her good shoulder working through the pain.

"Oh you know, just a million, but whose counting?" Tess answered dryly. "Let's start with the first one. Who the hell are you?"

From the driver's seat, Sean looked over at Alex. They were still tailing the van and he changed lanes, accelerating as needed to keep the vehicle in site, but still not be spotted. "You know that saying about if I tell you, I'll have to kill you?"

"He's only kidding." Alex piped in. She gave Sean a dark look. "We don't want to put you in danger or in a position to keep secrets. The less you know the better off you are."

That hit a nerve. "You like being told what's good for you? That's your reason to keep me in the dark and off balance?" Tess fumed. "I'm an officer of the law, not some security guard with a giant flash light. Cat's my partner. If one of you went missing, wouldn't the other do whatever it took to find them?"

Sean kept driving, she had a valid point, so he selected his words carefully. "We work for a government agency that's under deep cover. While under the watch of someone who was more interested in greed and power than national security, some unspeakable acts occurred. He has been eliminated, but there's still a lot of back lash from the chaos he was responsible for. That's what the secrecy is about. Divulging too much information compromises too many innocent people."

"Okay, I can accept that." Tess said. "Good cop, bad cop creates secrets, there's things that go on that some people don't need to know. What I don't accept and what I want to know, where is my partner and how do we get her back?"

"That's more complicated." Alex added. "When our bad cop was neutralized, he had a partner who escaped. She's the one who kidnapped Catherine and Vincent."

Tess thought aloud. "J.T. told Evan and me about Murifield and what they did to Vincent Keller, but they were burned down, are you saying this woman is responsible for that too?"

"Yes, and if you can imagine destroying an entire research facility for your own selfish reasons, than you know you're dealing with the mother of all bad cops." Sean talked through gritted teeth as he followed the van into an area with more houses and a lower speed limit.

Tess looked out the window. "We're nearing West Chester, where Cat was raised."

"The family home is closed up, her father and sister have been moved to a safe house." Alex said.

"They aren't headed to their house, it looks like they're headed to the cemetery." Tess looked over the front seat of the car to get a better look. "I'd slow down until we know where they're going."

Sean backed off of the accelerator as they passed a sign for Ferncliff Cemetery.

"This is where Cat's mother is buried." Tess murmured. "Her grave and marker is over there, near that big oak tree."

Sean cut his lights when they entered the Cemetery, he parked the car behind a gardner's shed and they waited.

The van circled the cemetery and stopped near Vanessa Chandler's grave site. The figures of two men got out of the front seat and stood watch. A cloud covered the moon and dimmed what little light there was.

When the doors to the back of the van opened, a small figure climbed out with a larger one behind her. He appeared to hold a weapon in his arms.

"That's Cat!" Tess whispered excitedly. "Let's go! We got to get her." She took her weapon out of her holster and started for the door.

"Tess, no!" Alex whispered. "You're going to get her killed. These men aren't afraid to die, they won't give her up easily."

"She's right. What's important is we know she's alive and that means Vincent is alive too." Sean added, he swept the area, looking for anything that might give them an edge.

"Ops? Nikita, Michael... we've found the police detective." Alex whispered transmitting through the Com.

"Copy that." Birkhoff replied from his desk. It's too dark, and I can't see you or the van from the survellience cams. Nikki and Michael are off-line, they've penetrated the building."

"They're going away from her mom's grave, what are they doing?" Tess whispered.

Catherine walked to the oak tree, Dmitri behind her. She knelt down and dug her hands into a pot of some sort and pulled something out and handed it to him. When he reached for it, she made her move.

Dmitri was taken by surprise when she stood and threw a kick at his groin. He stumbled back and it took a moment for him to comprehend what was happening. She lunged for his weapon and had her hands on it when he tripped her with his foot and she tumbled down on the ground. She rolled and got to her feet, but it was too late, he had the rifle pointed at her.

Tess was beside herself and ready to fly out of the car, but Sean had locked the doors. "Damn it! Let me out, I can take him out."

Sean reach over the seat with his own gun and pointed it at her. "Tess! You're going to get us all killed."

"You have to trust us. We know she's alive and judging from that little interaction, she's in pretty good shape. We can't risk gun fire, the chance she'll get hit is too great. There's three of them within close range, and I can't shoot." Alex whispered.

They watched as Dmitri back handed her and knocked her down. Cat cowered when he came toward her, but he stopped abruptly. He stood still, looking at her for a few seconds, before taking her by the arm and forcing her back into the van.

What stopped him was Amanda's voice through his Com unit.

"I do not want her harmed! Bring me the notebook!"

Dmitri huffed, but complied. He threw daggers with his eyes at Cat. "This isn't over!"

Amanda's voice came through his Com unit. "No it's not, and Dmitri, instead of threatening our material, why don't you take notice of the black sedan that's been shadowing you since you left."

 

Distraction

"Nikita... if there are the same protocols in place, the minute we breach the buildings security, they'll make us." Michael whispered.

"I got it." She murmured. "Don't you think it's weird that there are no guards around?"

"Yes and no. Remember, Division had a working farm as their cover. We're dealing with Amanda, she's always testing her limits. We have got to get in cold, no guns blazing."

The duo had disabled the electrified fence and with Birkhoff's help curtailed the surveillance system. Once inside, it appeared to be what the rest of the world saw, an abandoned manufacturing plant, complete with thick coats of dust, dirt and grime. The tire tracks and the footprints in the far corner of the building, gave what secrets the structure housed away.

Nikita used an ultra violet pen light and they could see where the trip wire beams from a laser security system crisscrossed the far corner of the building.

"The van that left, it's got to come back, right?"

"Eventually, but who knows when that will be. In the meantime, we should get comfortable." Michael slid down and pulled Nikita next to him.

He put his arm around her and she settled back against his chest. "You know, this is exactly why Percy kept us apart. He thought it would compromise our ability, especially in these kinds of situations."

"He had a point. You are a distraction, but a good one. You make me less impulsive." There wasn't enough light for her to see his face, but she could feel his concern by the way he tightened his hold on her.

"Nikita? If our relationship keeps you from making bad judgement calls, then it's all good. But, what happens when for that split second we are more worried about each other, than completing the mission, it could cost us our lives." His breath was warm against her ear.

"I know. Are you telling me you want a new partner?" She stifled the hurt in her voice.

Michael sighed. "No, you are by far the best partner I could have, but I want you to know you have a choice in this. Division no longer controls us."

Nikita started to respond when the crack of an assault rifle going off pierced the air. It came from outside, and both Nikita and Michael were on their feet running toward the entry way. The rattle of rapid fire caused Nikita's heart to skip a beat.

"Those are Gogol weapons discharging," Michael said through clenched teeth. "But I know they aren't shooting at themselves."

Nikita peered around the entry way and saw two guards down, but a third holding Catherine Chandler with his arm across her throat and his gun pointed at her temple.


	8. Chapter 8

Antibody

In spite of having two automatic assault weapons aimed at his back, Evan was clearly impressed by the lab. It's size, the set up and the equipment were a scientist's dream, until he laid eyes on a haggard looking J.T.

By the slump of his shoulders and the fresh bruises on his face, it was evident, the forces that brought them here were dark and dangerous. He had been beaten judging from the black eye and cut on his brow.

"Good God, are you all right?"

"What do you think." He pushed his glasses up and rubbed his eyes, wincing at the pain. He was exhausted and running on fumes generated by fear.

Evan walked over to the table and purposely turned his back toward the guards. "Have you seen Cat?" There was anxiety in his hushed tone. "The woman in charge, she told me Vincent has been lying to Cat. He's dangerous, especially when he becomes this, this Beast. I'm concerned for her safety."

He looked at Evan with disgust. "No, I haven't seen Cat and Vincent is not a threat to her in any form, he would never hurt her. If you want to talk monsters, all you have to do is look around you."

Evan ignored the defensive reply, instead he looked down at J.T.'s notes. "What is this? What are you working on?"

"Murifield created an antigen to adhere to his red blood cells and alter Vincent's DNA. I'm creating an antibody." J.T. pushed himself away from the table and gestured toward the microscope.

The M.E. bent down and took a look and was surprised at what he saw. "Where did you get this blood sample, I've never seen anything like it?"

J.T. shrugged his shoulders. "It's Vincent's. The red blood cells are misshapen because they took the sample when he had... when he had turned. I don't know how he's managed to survive." He looked toward the window that separated the lab from the room Vincent had been sequestered in. "I'm worried, it might be too late for him."

An unconscious Vincent was still strapped to the table. Evan studied him through the glass partition and even in the dim light, he could see his pasty complexion and labored breathing. He had no empathy for this creature, he thought of him as a cross species animal and not a man. Whatever he was, he could see him struggling, and that did disturb him.

"They're using him as a lab rat, experimenting on him and slowly killing him, and they want our help to do it." J.T. was draped in bitterness.

"This antibody, is it a temporary fix or a cure?"

"In theory, it should inhibit his DNA from further mutating, but the side effects are unknown. You know as well as I do, in the real world, we would analyze, conduct experiments and test it on animals before considering human trials. In this place, who the hell knows what they'll do."

He pointed to a centrifuge filled with test tubes. "They want to gain control over their test subjects. I have no idea what the results will be."

Their conversation was interrupted when the doors opened and Amanda and Anton walked in.

 

Made

"They know we're here. We were made when we left the cemetery."

The black van suddenly shot forward, their tail lights disappeared into the darkness. Sean had cut their own headlights when they began following them and without their benefit, it was almost impossible to keep up with them.

"Get down!" He sensed danger and yelled for everyone to take cover. In the next moment their car was peppered with bullets.

"Who the hell is shooting at us?!" Alex cried out from the floor of the car?

"Don't know. Just stay down." Sean maneuvered the car into the dark, but in order to follow them back to the battery plant, they had to expose themselves. The ride out to the cemetery had been quiet and uneventful. The ride back toward the battery plant was quite the opposite.

Tess was thrown back and forth and felt like she was in a lethal carnival ride. She gripped her gun in one hand and held on to the door with the other.

Their Com units crackled. "Birkhoff?" Sean called out. "Where's our back up?"

Birkhoff looked frantic and pounded on his keyboard. "They've been ambushed. It was a six man team and four of them are down. The other two have retreated."

Sean flicked the parking lights on and slowed down. He steered the car away from the road and drove up an incline and straight into a clump of overgrown shrubs. It had been a hedge at one time, but was now the cover they needed.

"The night scope, it's under the seat." Alex yelled to Tess.

Tess reached under the seat and felt around and found a metal object. She whipped it up and Sean plucked it from her hand and affixed it to his weapon and got out of the car. He got down on the ground.

"The van is back at the plant, they're pulling up to the fence. Can you see them?" Birkhoff asked.

The black van skidded to a stop outside of the battery plant and the two guards got out and opened the fence. They drove in and parked it in front of the entry and took cover behind the vehicle doors. One of the guards shot out the security light and the van was engulfed in darkness.

"I see them." Sean pushed three large rocks down the hill and they kicked up some dirt and made noise. One of the ex-Gogol agents, stepped out into the open and sprayed the area where the noise came from with bullets. Sean seized the opportunity and took him out with one clean shot. Panic-stricken, the other agent rushed out and fired his weapon into the dark. Sean's bullet stopped him cold and he tumbled over.

When he saw Dmitri exit the back of the van, Sean had his head in the crosshairs of his scope, but he lost him when he held Cat in front of him, using her as human shield. He had a gun pressed against her temple. Sean had to back down. "I don't have a clear shot."

He watched them disappear into the building.

"Alex?" Sean called out, but there was no answer.

"Alex! Detective! Talk to me." Sean rolled onto his back and pushed himself up on one knee.

Tess was on the opposite side of the car and she slowly stood up. "You spy guys have all the friggin' fun..." she said with a hitch in her voice. She held her hands up and one of Ari's ex-Gogol agents stood behind her, pointing his gun at her head. She flinched when he cocked the gun.

 

Just Like Old Times

Nikita gasped when Michael's arm reached around her waist and pulled her back. "We need to take cover." He swept her back to the corner of the building where they were hidden.

"It's Alex and Sean!" Nikita whispered.

"If they know we're here than we won't be able to get inside. Amanda wins! Do you want that?" He gave her a dark look.

She knew he was right, and she knew what he had pointed out to her, just minutes before the gunfire began, was true. To focus your concern on others was dangerous, and could be everyones demise. She needed to pull it together.

Michael crouched down next to her. The entry to the building opened up and they watched Dmitri drag Catherine inside.

Once inside, Dmitri rattled off an explanation. "We led them back as instructed, but Vlad began shooting at them." He had Catherine's arm twisted behind her back and pushed her ahead of him. "He and Gregor are both down."

It was Ari who replied over their Com. "Our guess is they are Division. Status?"

"They're dead. There is no need to worry about them." Dmitri lied.

"You're ly...!" Cat grunted in pain as he yanked her arm up.

Dmitri glared back at her and put his face inches from hers. He pressed the spot next to his ear to mute the Com. "Shut up! Whoever they are, they won't get in. If you say anything, I'll gut your insides and before they kill me, I'll kill your monster."

"I have the notebook that Amanda and Anton want!" Dmitri yelled out into the Com.

"Bring them to us." Ari commanded, his voice echoed through their heads.

He pushed her forward and stepped up to a hidden panel in the building wall, with one hand he punched in a code.

The trip wire beams dissipated and he dragged her to a hidden door behind a stack of crates.

Nikita relaxed her grip on Michael's arm, she took her pen light out and aimed it toward the trip wire beams.

Michael saw what she saw, they hadn't been reactivated. They looked at each other for a split second before leaping to their feet and flying past the monitored area and pressing themselves against the wall next to the hidden door.

Nikita nodded her head and they slipped into the door that was behind the crates, a second before it shut and locked behind them.

Michael smirked and pulled Nikita close and whispered in her ear. "Just like old times..."

 

Controlled Study

Amanda stopped to listen to her Com unit. She turned back to her two prisoners. "It's always something…" she raised her eyebrows and sighed.

"Anton tells me you have given us the missing puzzle piece. Job well done, Dr. Forbes." She gave him an wicked smile.

"If you test it on Vincent, I'm certain it will kill him." J.T.'s primary focus had been to save them, but now curtailing the work of these insane people seemed just as important. "He's too important to take a chance on killing him."

"Point taken. What do you suggest?" Amanda asked with mock innocence.

"You need a control study group." Evan interjected. "It takes time but it's the only way to calibrate the results accurately."

She felt herself a tad bit smitten by his boyish good looks and British accent. "Unfortunately, it seems our little safe house has been discovered and time is something we've run out of."

Ari walked in, a reprimanding look on his face. "Really Amanda, you're so trusting. Detective Chandler sent Dmitri on a wild goose chase. The notebook she brought back is a piece of garbage. It's not Vanessa Chandler's notes."

Cat walked in with her head down, Dmitri had a weapon against her back. When she raised her head, a look of defiance was on her face but that changed to alarm, when she saw Evan and J.T.

"What are you doing here?"

"Like you, they are our guests." Amanda sneered and chuckled to herself.

J.T. was shocked at her appearance but relieved to see her. He knew if she were dead, it would drain Vincent of his will to live.

Evan looked tortured by what he saw. She was thin and looked like an abused child. She had a bruise on her cheek and her eyes were dull and filled with dread.

"Cat?" He rushed toward her but one of the guards stopped him with the barrel of his weapon.

Amanda tilted her head ever so slightly and smiled. "Let him be."

He gathered her up in his arms and hugged her. "I won't let them hurt you."

Catherine hung in his arms like a rag doll. "You have to help me. Help me save Vincent." She whispered so quietly that Evan wasn't sure he heard her.

He felt like he had been sucker punched and the wind knocked out of him. He didn't expect to be rejected in this way, especially since his only motive was to rescue her. He released her and looked at her like she was a puzzle.

"J.T.?" Her voice cracked with emotion and sorrow. "He's dying. Can you help him?"

J.T. grabbed her shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "Don't give up!" He admonished her. "You got to keep fighting." He was rewarded by a rebellious look, it was fleeting, but it was there.

Amanda was no longer amused by their heartfelt declarations. She glared at one of the guards and he pulled Catherine back.

Dmitri scoffed. "Amanda, she tried to escape. She lied about the notebook. You promised I would have a chance to teach her a lesson."

Ari looked at him with disappointment. "Dmitri, the agents who took care of the Division back up team, have the three individuals in the black sedan contained. You know, the ones who were following you. We know you lied about killing them."

Two guards grabbed Dmitri and he tried to free himself. He had a wild and frightened look on his face. "I've been loyal to you Ari. Please..." He begged.

While all the discussion had been happening Anton had prepared four syringes. He didn't hesitate, but took one and stabbed it into Dmitri's neck and injected him.

"My God! What are you doing to me?" He cried out in terror.

Catherine, J.T. and Evan looked on with revulsion as they dragged the frightened man away.

Amanda eyes were filled with mirth, she took a turn to look at each of them. "Who's next?"


	9. Chapter 9

 

Party Crashers 

"If this place is like Division, blind spots will be at a minimum, security cameras are in place not to keep people out, but to monitor their personnel. There will be one primary hub plus satellite points disbursed through out the building."

"Home sweet home..." Nikita whispered.

The ten plus years that Michael had been with Division had given him an overview of how all the systems in the organization worked. He recognized the capabilities, but more importantly the flaws within the systems.

When the red lights on the security cams went off, Nikita and Michael had sixty three seconds to continue from point to point without being detected. The layout of this place was almost a mirror image of Division. It was slow going, Nikita went ahead while Michael shadowed her.

"We have an advantage, they're obviously not staffed at full security, if we can..." Nikita's train of thought was interrupted when a door opened and she came face to face with one of Ari's agents.

The agent was taken by surprise, he stared wide eyed at Nikita for a second too long before pointing his Glock at her. That lag in time gave her the edge she needed and she took a giant step and kicked the weapon from his hand.

The guard rebounded and swung his fist at her, Nikita ducked and when he tried to strike her again she blocked him with her forearm, but with his other hand he jabbed her in the stomach and she recoiled in pain. Michael intervened by grabbing him from behind in a choke hold and snapping his neck.

She took a deep breath and gave him a dark look. "It took you long enough."

He was already dragging him out of camera range. She helped push him against the wall and picked up his weapon and tucked it into her belt.

They continued down a corridor and unlike the others who had been taken her against their will, they both knew which way to go.

"Here." Nikita silently tapped on the door, and Michael took a small square device out of his pocket. He affixed it to the security pad and they watched the LED lights flash red before turning green. The door lock clicked open. Birkhoff had created a device that would by-pass the security system on almost all the doors.

She looked pleased with their progress. "Remind me to say something nice to Nerd."

They entered the room with weapons in front of them, the overhead lights were dim and they found themselves looking at a console broken into a six sections, each one with multiple monitors of various places within the structure. Two of Ari's men manned the station, but had their feet up and were watching something on a computer tablet and laughing like a pair of mischievous boys.

When they heard the door open, they scrambled to their feet and Nikita instantly took one of the men out. Her second shot took the other man down before he could turn toward the console and activate the security breach alarm.

Michael wasted no time studying the the console. Nikita stopped at one of the sections. "There's the guard who was all over the Detective."

They watched Dmitri being led away, he fought against the guards and wore a terrified look, complete with disheveled clothing and hair that stood up on end. They eventually stopped and deposited him into a room. Michael typed a command into the keyboard and they could see him, pacing back and forth. He would stop and look intently at his hands and felt his face as though he were expecting something to happen.

"It looks like the tables have turned on Mr. Nice-Guy." Nikita murmured.

They moved toward the next set of monitors. "Their lab is located where our Medical is." Michael squinted at the small screen, his expression hardened when he saw Amanda and Ari.

"I say we crash their party." Nikita's couldn't begin to hide her hatred of them.

Michael had turned his back to the security console and faced a rack of computer equipment. The lights flashed on and off and he smirked when he zeroed in on one particular computer server. He slid it and the laptop next to it out, and went to work.

From deep inside of the battery plant that had become Amanda's abode of horrors, Michael and Nikita's Coms crackled, and so did Alex's and Sean's.

"Birkhoff? We're inside, I found the communications server."

"Jeezus, Mikey! Scare the crap out of me... Okay, okay... who's all on this frequency?"

"Present" Nikita answered. "Alex? Sean? Do you read me?"

This is when seconds seem like minutes. "Alex?"

"You'll never get away with this. Division knows we're here and our back up is on it's way." Alex said through the Com.

"You're under duress, but you're okay... Sean?" Nikita whispered.

Sean's voice boomed over the Coms. "She's right. Wise up! We know Amanda is planning on using you goons for her experiments."

"They know there's no back up coming, they were ambushed. They're buying some time, and guys, the Police Detective Tess Vargas is still with them." The tension in Birkhoff's voice was contagious.

Nikita's anxiety climbed a notch. "We're in the security hub, sub-level one. We can see Amanda and Ari and Detective Chandler. We're going to disable the alarm systems."

They heard Alex gasp in pain and the sound of her being slapped.

"Leave her alone." Sean yelled before the smack of a weapon hitting him across his temple silenced him.

 

Unexpected Guest 

Evan stood gallantly in front of Catherine, shielding her from Anton who now held a second syringe in his hand.

"There's no point." He looked determined. "She's not a good test subject. If you dose her too heavily, her stature and body weight won't be able to handle it."

Amanda shrugged her shoulders. "That might be true, however Catherine needs to be taught a lesson. Lying to me has its consequences."

Ari snapped his fingers and pointed at Evan, and one of the guards approached him, his assault weapon held firmly in his hands. He used it to strike the side of his head, knocking him off of his feet. Once he was down, he hit him again.

"What kind of psycho are you? You're insane!" Catherine shouted, she knelt down next to Evan, the stress rolled off of her.

"Compliments will get you no where with Amanda. She's quite immune to flattery." Ari and Amanda exchanged malevolent smiles.

Another guard forced Catherine to stand and held her arms behind her. She struggled and rammed her elbow into his stomach but he overpowered her and held her in a choke hold.

Anton approached her holding the syringe, needle side up grinning with delight.

"Wait!" Amanda commanded. "We have another guest coming." She had a sly smile on her face.

She looked on with glee when Alex was brought in, all eyes went to the beautiful young woman, who despite being wounded, looked down her nose at Amanda and Ari.

"Alex, whatever are you doing here? Why would anyone let you out in the field in your condition?" Amanda shrugged. "So sorry to see you've been injured, but maybe we can help."

During all of the commotion, J.T. had faded into the background and he inched his way toward the tray that held the syringes. There were still two left.

"Wish I could tell you it was just a coincidence, but you know it's not." She had heard Nikita through their Com unit, calmly telling her to buy some time. "This place will be crawling with Division agents and they have no intention of taking you alive!"

Anton looked perplexed. "This girl talks too much. Let us see how this wounded little bird reacts, hopefully it won't cause paralysis or her heart to stop." He walked towards Alex with the syringe.

Evan had picked himself off of the floor and stood next to Cat, mindful that a gun was pointed at his head. The guard had released his choke hold on Cat and her relief was replaced by dread as she watched what was about to happen.

"Ari, face it, your army is made up of has-been Gogol agents. It's no wonder you have Amanda calling the shots. What is this, your last ditch effort into becoming a bunch of super heroes? Too bad it's never going to work!" Alex writhed in pain when the guard that held her purposely squeezed her arm. She was completely terrified by what was happening to her, but refused to show her fear. She wouldn't give Amanda the satisfaction.

Ari was not so good at hiding his feelings. His resentment toward her accusations hit a nerve. "What are you waiting for?" He looked angrily at Anton.

Anton approached her with a smug look and the syringe in his hand.

 

Saving James Bond 

Tess had stood by helplessly while one of Ari's men had slapped Alex and squeezed her bad arm before leading her away. "Nice. Beat up on wounded women." She muttered. "You guys give spying a bad name!"

Sean had been hit hard multiple times and fought to stay conscious. He knew the smart thing to do was to stay down, but his anger escalated when he heard Alex stifle her cries of pain. He pushed himself up on his hands and knees and felt the sole of a shoe stepping on his neck, flattening him to the ground.

"You guys are just a bunch of bullies. You're thugs! Goons that need to be told what to do." Tess shouted out at the guard who was beating up on Sean.

"Shut up!" The agent that was on her yelled. He raised his gun to strike her, and at that very moment, Tess could take no more and blew up. She used the palm of her hand and thrust it against his nose. The guard was stunned, and his gun waved around in the air. Tess brought her foot down on his instep and he howled in pain. She clasped her hands together and used both her fists to club him on the back of his head. When he fell forward, she kicked his legs out from under him and she climbed on his back as he went down. The gun he had been clutching was lying next to him and she picked it up and fired one shot.

The agent who was on Sean was momentarily distracted by Tess' aggression and he pointed his gun at her. Sean seized the moment and used his body weight to knock him over. He rolled onto him and held on to his wrist, pounding it on the ground trying to force him to let go of his weapon. The agent used his legs to capture Sean and rolled him on his back. He had him pinned to the ground when a shot rang out and the agent arched his back and grunted, before falling over on the ground next to Sean.

Tess stood bracing herself with her legs apart, a gun in her hand. "You okay James Bond?" She asked breathing heavily.

"Yeah..." he struggled to his feet and shook the haze from his head. "Alex." He murmured.

"Let's go!" Tess shouted. "NOW!" She dashed and dived into the driver's seat and started the car.

Sean didn't need to be told twice, he jumped over the prone bodies and threw himself in the front seat while the tires spun out on the ground and the vehicle took off down the hill toward the battery plant.

 

Hot Bio-Chemist 

J.T. had backed up against the tray that held the syringes and palmed one in his hand, being careful not to dislodge the safety cap on the needle. He didn't have a gun to shoot or fists to fight with, but his weapon of choice was his chemistry.

He cringed when he saw the tip of the needle press against Alex's neck, but before Anton depressed the plunger, the door to the lab burst open. Shots from an automatic weapon were going off and one of the guards went down. Ari's men returned the gun fire.

Michael pointed his weapon at Amanda, but Ari pushed her away. Two of the guards pointed their weapons at Michael and he dove behind one of the cabinets which they riddled with bullets. Nikita made sure not to waste her bullets and took one of them out.

Evan, Cat and J.T. had ducked down, in the melee a gun skittered across the floor and Cat dove for it. She turned and saw Anton, with a hideous smile, struggling with Alex, who was trying to fight him off. Cat shot him once, but not before he had stuck her with the needle.

Alex looked at Cat crowding out her fear with gratitude.

"They're getting away!" Michael yelled out.

Nikita saw both Amanda and Ari go out a door at the far end of the lab. She charged through the mess of shattered glass and shot up equipment. She ran to the door and pounded on it. Nikita stepped back and shot at the handle but the bullets only imbedded themselves in the metal. She felt dejected but quickly turned and ran toward Alex.

Michael fired off two more shots and the last guard standing went down.

"Alex? Alex..." Nikita knelt down next to her. The younger woman groaned but her eyes sprang open. She looked confused.

"It's okay, you're going to be okay." Nikita looked over at J.T. and Evan. "Can you do anything?" The look of sorrow in her eyes said it all.

J.T. was the first to reach her. "Where's the syringe?" He asked frantically. He searched the floor for it and finally found it. He held it up to the light.

"There's more than half of the serum in here. She's going to suffer mild effects, but my guess is her own immune system will kick in and fight it off." He looked down at her. "How do you feel?"

Alex looked at him with a strange grin. "You're the hot bio-chemist, right?"

Birkhoff's voice came over the Com units. "You better LISTEN UP!" He yelled out.

"I just got word from the White House." Ryan Fletcher voice boomed over the Com. "They caught wind of Murifield and Amanda and they are sending attack drones. You have to ex-fil immediately. You have about fifteen minutes before they bury the facility."


	10. Chapter 10

 

Ex-Fil 

"Birkhoff! We're locked out! Get us inside!" Sean yelled frantically. He and Tess had flown down the hill in their car and barreled their way next to the battery plant.

"Security breach has been put in place, they've locked the place down... Looking for other egress points... Shit!" Birkhoff snapped.

The building was like a fortress, the entry way sealed tight. All doors had been locked. Sean searched for any clue that would help him gain entrance before he pounded his fist against the door in frustration.

"Stand back." Tess took her weapon and shot at the edge of the door, except for the dents caused by the bullets nothing happened.

He looked over at the police detective, his head was still reeling from the beating he endured, but he knew what was happening and what was coming. "You gotta leave."

Tess shook her head. "No! My partner and Evan and J.T. are in there. We help each other and we'll find Alex too."

"They're going to destroy it." He muttered. "They're going to blow it up and destroy the secrets and everyone inside. We got like ten minutes. Go and save yourself."

"What? How can you know this?" She was shocked by what he said.

Sean pointed to his ear. "Com unit. Ryan said it. He would never lie about something this big."

"Then we gotta get a move on and fast. Help me check the perimeter, there has to be another way in or out." She checked the clip in her gun.

The unlikely pair ran along side the building searching for anything that would give them access. Sean heard the faint rumblings before he felt them.

"Get down!" He ordered. They ducked and covered their heads. The wall of the building slammed down and they cowered at the noise. A vehicle came crashing through, splinters of wood and metal flew into the air and a modified Humvee appeared, skidded in front of them. It's engine roared and took off in a cloud of car exhaust and dust.

Tess shot at the vehicle as it made their escape, but Sean stopped her. "Don't waste your ammo. They're gone."

He caught a glimpse of two individuals inside. "Birkhoff it's a black Humvee going north... It's Amanda and Ari!"

Both of them cringed when they heard an explosion coming from inside the building. They stepped over the debris, and came face to face with three of Ari's men, who stood with their assault rifles pointed straight at them.

* * *

The group inside the battery plant felt the building shake around them.

"What was that?" Michael shouted, trying to keep his voice calm. He had Alex propped up next to him and they followed Nikita through the hallways.

"An explosion! It went off at the south side where the vehicle broke through. You guys, this isn't a tour or an open house, you need to get out of there NOW!"

"Sonya! Eyes on the Humvee." Birkhoff barked. She had the station next to his, intense and focused she pounded on her keyboard.

Ryan paced the floor in Operations, watching the exterior of the building on the screen and at the time clock that had been set up next to it. "Forget about Amanda and Ari, let's get our people out. We have eight minutes!"

Sonya instantly changed directions in her head. "I can help you override the system and get the doors open..." She glanced over at Birkhoff and saw him nod in approval.

"Michael? Nikita?" The tone in Alex's voice was filled with confusion. She had stopped and pulled herself away from Michael and rolled her shoulder and lifted her arm. "I'm okay!"

There was no time to marvel at her recovery, they proceeded around the corner and faced a set of roll up doors obscured in a cloud of smoke.

Nikita looked around frantically. "Michael? This was the way out, they've blown the egress point. Birkhoff, we've literally hit a wall!"

Birkhoff talked through clenched teeth. "Retrace your steps!"

Nikita turned on her heels. Catherine, J.T. and Evan were not in their line of sight. "Where did they go? They were right behind us. Damn it!"

Michael herded them back in the direction they came from.

Nikita stopped abruptly. She put her index finger to her lips, silencing them. She handed Alex the extra Glock she had tucked in her belt. Both women exchanged a glance and instinctively dropped to one knee and started firing. Two of Ari's men appeared and dropped in front of them.

Nikita sprang to her feet and Alex covered her, she darted pass the two bodies, but one of the downed guards hand shot out and grabbed her ankle and she toppled over. Alex stood her ground and took him down with one shot. The sound of more gunfire rang out.

"Hurry up!" Michael called out through gritted teeth. He had turned his back on the women and stopped two more guards, who had come up behind them. He helped Nikita up and they bolted. They ran down the corridor toward the lab and found a frantic Detective and Bio-Chemist trying to break through a door. Evan stood back and watched them, a despondent look on his face.

"Detective Chandler?" Alex called out. "We have got to go... now."

Catherine looked back at them. "Not without Vincent." The determination in her voice made it clear, this was non-negotiable.

Nikita looked at the three of them wondering what she would do if she were in their place. "I'll stay with them, you two find us a way out!"

"No, I'll stay!" Alex commanded. "She saved my life, give us a few more minutes."

Michael grabbed Nikita. "Come on, let's do it! Alex, we're counting on you to get them out! Otherwise we're all going up in smoke."

Nikita hated leaving Alex behind, but she didn't hesitate. She trusted Alex and it was do or die. They quickly retraced their steps.

* * *

At the south side of the building, Sean and Tess stood staring at the three armed guards.

"Tell them!" Tess said. "Tell them what's going to happen."

One of the guards raised his weapon but the one next to him put his hand out to stop him.

"Tell us what?" He asked with a Russian accent.

"You're bosses just flew this popsicle joint. They're gone and our people are blowing this place up in..." Sean looked at his watch "six minutes."

"You're lying." The Russian retorted, but there was a hint of fear in his voice.

"Get real! They're gone. You think they're coming back to give you a ride to the new house?" Tess put her hands up defensively. "You guys need to think about yourselves. There's no point in killing us. Letting us live is like giving the finger to the boss who left you behind."

The guard whose weapon was raised flinched and Sean tackled Tess as a spray of bullets whizzed by them. The guard who spoke english knocked his trigger happy companion with the barrel of his rifle.

"Nyet!" He looked at his comrades.

"You got five minutes." Sean announced.

"Fuck it..." He mumbled. He spoke Russian to the two others and they backed away and ran.

Tess and Sean struggled to their feet and went inside the building. They searched for the spot the Humvee made its way out and what they found was a vehicle elevator bay that had been destroyed.

"You can't get out this way." Sean shouted. "Alex? Where are you?" He had heard the exchange between them but their own circumstances disrupted his focus.

"Tell Tess her partner and the others are alive. We're trying to get to Vincent Keller, he's locked in." Alex shouted back.

Alex looked up at Evan. "Go with them." She nodded toward the direction that Nikita and Michael went.

Evan looked shell shocked. "Cat? Come with me! I won't leave you here to die." he pleaded. The moment he uttered the words, he knew. He knew she could only think of saving her Beast.

J.T. shook his head. "We're not leaving without him. He's important to us." There wasn't a hint of indecision in his voice.

Cat continued to struggle with the door. Through the small window, she could see Vincent strapped down to the table. "I'm not leaving!"

Evan felt he was in a nightmare, but even in his terror and misery, he knew he wasn't ready to die. He ran in the direction of Nikita and Michael.

"Ryan's voice came over the Com units. "They've agreed to circle the plant once before dropping the missiles. Get out now, you still have seven minutes.

"Sean? If you have vehicles, get them ready for Ex-Fil." Michael shouted.

"Alex, you have to come, now!" Nikita shouted.

"We have to leave! Live to tell the world about this. Leave with me!" Alex begged Catherine and J.T.

From inside of Operations there was an audible gasp. "Sonya's got it!" Birkhoff yelled out. She had unlocked the doors.

Michael and Nikita ran out into warehouse and out the entryway door and into the van that Sean had idling. He looked at them wide eyed. "Where's Alex?"

The doors inside of the battery plant had all clicked and this time when Catherine pulled on it, it opened. She and J.T. rushed in and she went to Vincent and immediately pulled at the straps and shackles that held him down but they wouldn't come loose.

J.T. had the syringe he had taken from the lab and pulled the cap off with his teeth. He looked at Catherine and she nodded. He injected Vincent with the full dose, before throwing the used syringe on the floor.

"J.T., she's right. Go." Catherine cried. She held Vincent's head in her hands.

Out of the corner of the room, Lubov stood up. She had been forgotten and left behind. She was obviously scared and unsure of what to do after seeing Anton and the others killed.

Alex pulled her weapon out on her.

Lubov put her hands up. "I can help."

Alex saw the terror emote from her. "If you're lying get ready to die!"

The Russian woman went to the work table and pressed a series of codes in it. The metal shackles released themselves and Catherine and J.T. worked to undo the straps. Alex ran toward them and worked alongside them.

"Alex, please..." It was Sean talking to her through the Com unit. Sean who had made her feel worthy, who was kind and gave her hope.

"I'm coming out." Alex looked at Catherine. "Follow me." She whispered to her. "Come on." She pointed at Lubov. The blonde woman followed her and they left the room.

* * *

J.T. released the last strap. He checked Vincent's pupils and saw they were completely dilated.

"Cat. I don't know what else to do?" He choked on his words when he felt himself being thrown down on the ground.

Catherine looked up and saw Dmitri standing over her with a look of insanity on his face. He grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her against the wall with little effort.

Cat struggled to stand, but he bounded over toward her. J.T. had clambered to his feet and threw himself toward Dmitri, but he easily tossed him aside. His strength seemed unmeasurable.

"I kill you! Slowly!" He looked down at her. "I'll be the last person you'll see before you die." His hands came down and wrapped around her throat.

Catherine knew he would either strangle her or break her neck. She closed her eyes and saw images of her dead mother, her father and sister. She saw Tess and Evan and J.T. and then she saw Vincent.

The sad lost look she saw when they first met was replaced by a smile that ever so slowly brightened his face. He looked at her with reverence, kindness and joy and she heard him say it. _I love you._

A warm feeling enveloped her. _I love you too,_ but that warmth suddenly disappeared when Dmitri's hands abruptly let go of her.

Vincent had grabbed Dmitri by the shoulder and spun him around. His fist came crashing across his face. The Russian was stunned but snapped back and use his own fists to fight back. Vincent ducked and tackled Dmitri around his legs and the two men landed on the floor. He straddled the man and his fist came down hard, but Dmitri retaliated and managed to use his own fist to knock him back.

"Catherine... Leave now!" Vincent's voice was solid when he called out to her.

The two men fought, arms and fists swinging and legs kicking, both of them bloated with anger. Dmitri managed to throw Vincent back and ran straight into him. They lost their balance and rolled on the floor. It seemed they were at an impasse, each struggling to take the other down. Dmitri took a steel tray and struck Vincent on the head repeatedly.

Out of nowhere, a shot rang out and Dmitri went rigid, he turned his head to see Catherine holding a gun, he scowled at her before he collapsed.

Vincent pushed him over and rose to his feet. The color had returned to his face and his eyes were filled with clarity. And, there was no Beast.

Catherine threw herself into his arms and he hugged her back. She gasped in pain and he eased up his hold on her. Not since he was a soldier in Afghanistan had he felt this way.

"Catherine..." His raspy voice was like music to her ears.

J.T. stood in the door way and yelled at the top of his lungs. "LET'S GO!"

Vincent picked up Catherine in his arms and the three of them ran toward the entry way. They had to avoid the bodies that were strewn about but made it up a set of stairs and into warehouse above the organization of horror.

* * *

With Sean behind the wheel, Nikita and Michael piled themselves into the back of the van. Behind them was Evan, but he ran toward Tess who was in the other van. Alex came out with a blonde woman and Michael helped pull them into the back.

His voice rang out. " GO! GO! GO! They took off immediately.

The other van's engine idled, the back doors were thrown open and Tess was behind the wheel and Evan sat beside her.

"Tess, we got to go. We only have minutes." She knew he was right. They had both heard the sound of the drones, they buzzed by once and both knew they would be back.

Tears rolled down Tess' face, and she nodded and put the van into gear and started driving away.

Evan looked back in his side view mirror and yelled out "STOP!"

She slammed on the brakes and the van skidded before stopping.

Out of the entry came Vincent holding Catherine in his arms. Vincent ran so fast, he was like a flash of lightening. He was at the back of the van in seconds and gently placed Catherine inside.

"GO!" He yelled.

Tess accelerated and Catherine flattened herself on the van floor holding on and watching as Vincent ran back toward J.T. who had just emerged outside.

"NOOO!" She cried out. "VINCENT!"

The van took off and when it turned, it swerved and when the vehicle righted itself the doors shut. Inside it was dark and Catherine was alone. Tess and Evan were in the front with a partition separating them.

The first missiles hitting the battery plant exploded with a deafening sound that shook the van. Tess managed to keep the van upright by easing up on the gas for just a moment before taking off again. Debris rained down on them and their ears rang from the noise. She floored the accelerator and in their side view mirrors she and Evan could see a second explosion rocking the battery plant, and then a third one came down and it became a fireball of destruction.


	11. Chapter 11

Options

When a ten-acre Super Fund site, contaminated by lead poisoning and Amanda and Ari's treacherous schemes, explodes, damage control becomes the final chapter and this one was being written without Ryan Fletcher's footnotes.

Eleven hours had passed since the battery plant had been incinerated. The spin-doctors were earning their inflated salaries, creating layers of explanations, crafted specifically to the entity asking the question. The Executive Offices in Washington, DC had the cleanest version of the truth, and from then on it became a food chain of answers. Regional, State, County, and local authorities were all spoon fed a modified version.

Cable news stations had their own inside connections, they were selectively and seductively leaked the information they needed to give an excited shout out to Breaking News. The destruction was a military exercise that had gone awry. They were testing drones and a series of errors caused the missiles to be live instead of those used on practice missions. It would be the top story until the next natural catastrophe, government scandal or celebrity bad girl behavior took its place.

Somewhere out there, in a space between reality and lies the two vans had pulled off into a State Park about forty miles from where the battery plant had been located. It was in the early morning hours and the passengers in each of the vehicles got out under each other's watchful eyes.

On one side of an invisible line were Evan and Tess and a shattered Catherine. They did their best to shield her from the other side, which consisted of Nikita, Michael, Alex and Sean. Someplace in no man's land, Lubov did her best to disappear, but she would not be forgotten.

Michael circled one of the vans, pacing as he spoke. "That's the official story? He huffed and rolled his eyes. "Who the hell is going to believe that?" He scowled into the phone. "Do you actually think we can drop off two police detectives and a medical examiner in the middle of Manhattan, no questions asked? And what about Lubov?" He shook his head at the Russian woman who sat quietly away from the others.

Nikita watched as he raised his eyebrows and tilted his head. Then his eyes narrowed suspiciously, and finally his face grew taught with hatred. "Yes, Amanda and Ari are still a problem." He blinked his eyes slowly, "It's only a matter of time and that is a promise." He bristled with frustration, not willing to accept defeat, yet again.

He snapped his phone closed and crossed his arms and looked at the battered and weary individuals in front of him.

"We're being directed to a government seized property, about twenty five miles from here, where we will be extracted." He looked directly at Evan, Tess and Catherine with a grim expression. "You'll be coming with us. Once debriefed, you'll be given... options."

 _Options?_  What the hell is that supposed to mean Tess thought to herself. She gave a sideways glance at Evan who was equally irritated by the remark.

"Who are these people?" Evan asked, eyeing Michael and Nikita. "I recognized that man, Sean Pierce, but who are the others?"

"I could never make any of this up, and it's crazy enough for an exposé in Mother Jones Magazine or an outline for a JJ Abrams movie." Tess answered with more than a hint of sarcasm. "These guys are from the government, but they're top secret and no one knows about them."

"Except for us." Evan shook his head. "What I wouldn't give for a pint and a stack of bodies to autopsy."

The group from the NYPD huddled together on a bench waiting to be loaded up and taken to parts unknown. They were sleep deprived and on information overload, and now that any imminent danger had passed, they felt wary, not fully understanding what they had gotten themselves into.

Cat had remained silent until now. "Thank you." She looked over at Tess and Evan, her eyes glistening with emotion. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

Tess leaned toward her and gave her a gentle shoulder bump. "We stick together, watch each other's backs, that's what partners do."

"I know you've put up with a lot and I owe you." Cat said uncomfortably.

"We have to have a serious talk and its time to come clean. I think it needs to be over drinks, lot of drinks." She had a hard time hiding her feelings. They were equal parts of betrayal and of relief.

Cat looked like she wanted to speak, but she pressed her lips together in a stony expression.

"I know, it's complicated." Tess said under her breath. "I just didn't know how complicated."

Evan seized the moment to speak to her. "Cat, whatever has happened, whatever this creature..."

"His name is Vincent!" Cat abruptly stopped him. "He's not a creature, he's a man who is more than deserving of all of our help. He's saved my life more than once and if you value our friendship, you'll remember that." There was fire in her eyes and an icy cadence to her voice.

"Take it easy. We're with you." Tess tried her best to diffuse the situation. She gave Evan a cautious look.

Cat took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Evan. You tried to protect and help me and I know it seems I'm turning on you, but I'm not. Please try and understand, I'm tired and frustrated and..." She looked away, fighting back her tears.

Everything about her squeezed Evan's heart into a reality check. "Cat, I'll always be here for you." He whispered so quietly, she barely heard him.

"You always have and I'm so grateful for your friendship. I'm sorry if it hasn't been enough, I never meant to disappoint you."

Evan might have been in love, but he wasn't a fool. Escaping death and sitting amongst a group of covert spies had been a wake up call, but Cat's words cut deep.

Alex watched out of the corner of her eye and listened. Intensity radiated from them and she realized they were all the same. People. Struggling with misconceptions, deciphering feelings, and wanting things that might never be. She might be incredibly tough, she had killed a dozen men and saved ten times that many lives, but when it came to matters of the heart, they were all alike. Vulnerable.

She was startled out of her thoughts when Sonya came on their Com units. "Birkhoff's been running real time satellite images and we've found something, not quite sure what to make of it, but it's worth investigating. Hang on."

Alex turned her back to Catherine and whispered, "You think it's Vincent and J.T.?" She looked over her shoulder at Cat keeping her voice low so they would not hear. Tess' had looped her arm through Cat's protectively.

"Either that or it's Smokey and Yogi..." Birkhoff added. "There is something you can do."

Alex listened and rushed over to Cat with a serious look of optimism and urgency.

"Detective Chandler, I don't want to give you any false hope, but Birkhoff, our guy in Ops has picked up thermal imaging of two bodies about twenty miles from the battery plant. They're sending a team to pick them up. If it is Vincent and J.T. can you tell us anything that would make them trust our agents? Something only you would know about."

Catherine's eyes grew wide and her voice shook. "Tell him fire escape. Tell him that Catherine wants to meet him on my fire escape."

 

Changing it up

Medical went into overdrive when an influx of agents and their rescued personnel arrived at Division. Bumps and bruises were checked and treated. Cuts were cleaned and held together with butterfly band aids and pupils were checked with pen lights. Luckily no one had been seriously injured and the agents were each given a visitor to debrief.

They took them to separate quarters where they gathered as much information as possible without it feeling like an interrogation. It was a who, what, where, when and how kind of give and take. Everyone was impressed with the courage and tenacity the NYPD detectives and their medical examiner had shown, and they in turn learned the covert government operatives meant them no harm.

After a long shower and a new set of recruit training clothes, Tess and Nikita shared a simple meal and a bottle of Cabernet and did their best to put the other at ease. The inability to define their relationship initially made it awkward, but that's where the wine helped.

"I feel like I shouldn't be here." Tess admitted

"No, I'm glad, we're glad you're here and..."

"That's not exactly what I mean. I shouldn't be here, seeing any of this, waiting for Ethan Hunt or Jason Bourne to walk through that door, telling me I can never go home again."

Nikita smiled. "Neither of them have clearance to be here."

Tess let out a stilted laugh. "Seriously? Spy humor?"

Nikita knew Tess wasn't buying the  _we're all one big happy family_  routine. "Ryan is working it out. You aren't our prisoner, we have an obligation to build you a plausible cover story. You will be able to go home and resume your lives, but we have to make sure everyone is on the same page. We have to be on the same side."

"Your side?" Tess had a glum and wary look on her face.

"The right side." Nikita said solemnly.

Tess wasn't sure what to make of her. She knew this secret organization could cause her to permanently disappear and there would be nothing anyone could do about it, but she also sensed that she could trust Nikita.

"Come on, follow me." Nikita stood up and opened the door. "Operations has news for us."

Tess followed her out and back into the depths of the building. She felt slightly intimidated by the activity, the noise and the purpose. The room was sleek and high tech, just like their agents. She saw Alex and Sean standing close, their heads together deep in conversation. Than she saw Cat, who had a look of relief on her face.

Cat looked over at the two women. "It was J.T. and Vincent."

* * *

They had explained to her that both men were fine. They would be debriefed and she would be allowed to see them. Catherine found it hard to sit still and wait patiently. When the door opened, she practically jumped J.T. when he walked in.

"J.T.? Where is he? Is he all right?"

He looked at her with mock indignation. "Yeah, I'm fine. It was a little harried almost getting blown to smithereens and spending eight hours in the woods being hunted down by government assassins, but no biggie. Thanks for asking."

Catherine looked up at him slightly embarrassed but mostly anxious. "J.T.?"

He took pity on her. "He's about the best he's been in ten years. See for yourself."

He stepped aside and Catherine saw Vincent walk through the door. He still had an aura of uncertainty and doubt around him, but he stood tall and looked strong. The color was back in his face and when he looked up and saw Catherine, it was with clarity and any hint of insecurity vanished. In it's place was a look of joy and relief.

Vincent took her into his arms. "Catherine..." He said breathlessly. "It's like I just woke up from a horrible nightmare, but you're really here."

Catherine clung to him burying her face in his neck. "Yes. I'm here and I'm so glad to see you."

He released her from his grasp. It didn't take heightened senses for them to feel each other's hearts beating and the euphoria that made them both tingle with apprehension. He looked down at her and kissed her so gently, she couldn't imagine anything sweeter.

"You're really okay?" Catherine asked tentatively.

He smirked at her. "We're naming our first child J.T." His eyes sparkled with excitement. "His antidote worked. We don't now for sure what's happened, and we need to run some tests, but I'm so much better and more importantly, I'm in control."

She laughed. "If it's a girl, I'm not naming her John Thomas." She threw her arms around his neck and held him close.

"I want you to always be part of my life. We've been through the worst, it's time we got a break. I love you." He kissed her again, this time a little more urgently.

She reached up and stroked his cheek. "Vincent, I want the same and you know, I love you."

She pulled him down and their lips met again. This time it was slow and unrelenting. Sighs of pleasure filled the room as they devoured each other's soul through a kiss. It left them breathless and when they parted the intensity of their feelings left them both trembling.

"I'm still here..." J.T. announced. "Don't get me wrong, I'm really honored but a little disturbed at the baby name and this is about as touching as it gets, but you know that third wheel thing? I'd really like to give you some privacy," he jiggled the door handle "but, I can't get out.


	12. Chapter 12

  

Repercussions

True to their word, Division let Tess and Evan go. They took them to an undisclosed location where four CIA operatives picked them up. Cat had refused to leave without Vincent or J.T., so with assurances from their new covert spy BFFs that she wasn't in danger, they reluctantly left her behind.

"Don't worry, Cat's bloody safer than we are." Evan tapped his fingers on the conference room table awaiting to be debriefed once again. He was at odds with everyone and angry and confused at himself.  _What had he been thinking?_

The more Evan understood what happened to Cat, it became clear to him he had always been on the outside looking in. His undying love for her now seemed like a foolish crush and knowing he was consistently ten steps behind, in discovering the crossed species creature was Vincent, felt pathetic. Evan was an exceptionally bright and intuitive man who was in the wrong. Wrong time, wrong place, wrong woman, wrong goals.

Murifield, Division, Gogol and the CIA were dangerous forces to be reckoned with, but like many before him, he was his own worst enemy. This would change, if nothing else the chain of circumstances he had recently endured had opened his eyes. Things were going to be different, and it was going to start with a cover story disguised as the truth.

When they first heard it, Tess was surprised at how simple it was.

She and Evan had followed J.T Forbes to his hotel room and confronted him, hoping to learn what may have happened to Cat and Vincent. They were with him for only a short time when a group of men apprehended them at gunpoint. The three of them were bound and blindfolded and taken by van to an unknown location. They wanted J.T. and Evan for their knowledge and research, and not wanting to leave a witness, they took Tess as well.

They discovered their kidnappers were part of a splinter group made up of disgruntled Murifield personnel who destroyed their own research facility. Their goal was altruistic, to find a use and cure for the genetic therapy they developed. These men were scientists searching for the good in altering human DNA, not killers, and escape had been relatively easy. Tess picked a lock, they hid in the shadows and simply walked out of the building when it was dark. Evan had Sean Pierce's business card and they called him for help and he in turn sent the CIA to pick them up. J.T. by his own volition, staid behind to shed some light on the scientific experiments surrounding his friend.

They acted surprised when the CIA told them, J.T., Vincent and Catherine had been rescued by the joint task force that Sean claimed he was connected to. It was Sean, the liaison, who filled in the blanks for the CIA. The ex-Murifield scientists had been captured and would be held until the truth of what they had done was fully realized. Catherine, Vincent and J.T. were being detained for their own protection, their fate was now in the hands of the Government. There was no mention of Division, the battery plant, Amanda, Ari or ex-Gogol agents.

Their story was vetted out and it jived enough to satisfy most everyone's questions.

* * *

After the CIA had released them, Tess was suspended from the NYPD for a week for going AWOL. On her return, Joe admonished her and placed her on desk duty for a month. He seemed to buy the story and knew when to leave well enough alone. As the days turned to weeks, the weird and unbelievable factors around her internment seemed to fade.

Evan, on the other hand, had returned and requested a six month leave of absence. He told his superiors the events of the last few months made him realize he needed some time off. It seemed questionable, but everyone involved found no reason to deny him a sabbatical to get his life together. He packed up for parts unknown and before a new stamp was added to his passport, he left Cat a note. He told her he finally understood and putting some distance between them was for the best.

Tess had weathered her desk duty and waited for Cat to return, and waited. It seemed that her partner was at a crossroads in her life and needed some time to sort things out. She wasn't surprised or hurt by this, but with both Evan and Cat gone, it did make her feel slightly abandoned. Catherine sensed this and she put in a good word for her friend and partner with Alex and Sean, her new colleagues at Division.

The unattached Detective, they deduced, was deserving of their interference and Tess decided to trust them to do the right thing. Following their invitation, she arrived early enough to check out the crowd, find a seat at the bar and order a scotch on the rocks. Tess tossed her hair back and picked up her drink, swirling it around, the ice cubes looked like mini glaciers in the Arctic. Well not really, but when she was nervous, she'd make these things up in her head.

When Alex joined her and took the seat next to her, they both chuckled when the bartender asked for her ID. He couldn't have known she had about a dozen at her disposal and chose Alex Winslow, who lived in Brooklyn, to be her alter ego for the night.

"You know elite is an understatement." Alex told her. "The thing is, you impressed all of us, especially Sean. You managed to save his life and help rescue the others. It isn't a small thing."

"Too bad I can't add it to my on-line dating profile." Tess answered.

"But we can." Alex smirked. "We think you're special and that's why he wants to do this, because his friend is special too. He's Delta Force and wouldn't be with anyone, he needs to be with someone who has heart, someone who knows first hand why you would lay your life on the line, because that's what you both do. Besides these guys are always going out on classified missions. You know what secrets do to a person, it makes getting to know someone difficult."

Tess looked at her, suddenly feeling nervous. "These things never go very well. You know, unmet expectations, one of you wanting something the other doesn't. You must think I'm sad and desperate."

Alex shrugged. "Relax. You can trust Sean. I told you, he thinks you're great and I let him know we would beat him to a pulp if he brought a jerk. Think of it this way, if you connect with someone, it's kind of magical. If not, getting his shirt off is a really good consolation prize."

Just then, Sean walked in with another man on his heels. Tess saw his friend and smiled at her good fortune. He was handsome enough to turn heads, six feet four inches tall, with a sculpted body under a very sexy black t-shirt. He had a full head of brown hair and piercing green eyes. He came with a single red rose and a bashful look that was totally endearing.

"You must be Tess?" He handed her the rose. His eyes twinkled and she was convinced she saw a light like the north star bounce off of the front teeth of his beautiful smile.

* * *

The warehouse, J.T. reminded himself, was trashed and uninhabitable, which meant he had no place to live. His possessions were packed in boxes and left in the trunk of a beat up car, parked in a storage locker, which meant he didn't own very much. He made the dreaded call and his worst case scenario unfolded, he was no longer part of the faculty in the bio-chem department at the University, which meant he had no job.

It was an odd place to be, unemployed and looking for new digs after ten years. On top of that, he was pretty certain Vincent had found a new roommate, not that he minded, he had not seen him this happy in a very long time.

For many years his purpose in life was clear. It was keeping himself and Vincent alive and ultimately helping him find a cure, or at very least, a solution to what Murifield had done to him. Now that he succeeded, it was time to start over. The question was, where to begin?

When Ryan Fletcher asked if he would consider working with Lubov to document Muirfield and Anton's work, it seemed like a no-brainer. Division would provide him a place to live at their facility and as long as he agreed to their terms, he was free to come and go as he wanted. Lubov, they felt was a victim, not an accomplice and she jumped at the opportunity.

Ryan knew they could be trusted. After ten years of living off of the grid with Vincent, he knew J.T. could keep secrets. Lubov had supplied them with more intel than they imagined and she traded the risk of her betrayal for a place within Division.

Once J.T. delved into the project, he found the work was interesting and challenging. At first it was formal and clinical, the interaction he had with the blonde woman from Chechnya was only about their research. He discovered she was a brilliant scientist with a vast amount of knowledge. She was thorough, precise and humble. He was surprised to find out she had some secrets of her own.

While under Anton's thumb, she had been the one to administer the adrenaline to Vincent. Anton had instructed her to incrementally increase each dose, but after the second one, she knew anymore could kill him. She lied to keep him alive. Each subsequent injection was a ML less than the one before and Anton never questioned it because he thought she would never defy him. When J.T. discovered what she had done, it was like a light had been turned on. He saw her for what she was, and he was dazzled by it.

They worked side by side and between her memory and J.T.'s research they pieced together a puzzle. Murifield's records, tests and documentation had been destroyed with the battery plant, but they were given the time and resources to pursue answers and they had Vincent and Alex as living examples.

"Lu, would you look at his?" J.T. asked. He had shortened her name after a month of working together and it had stuck.

She left her work station to join him and studied the sample in question. "This is incredible! I had not thought it possible." She looked up at him, the smile on his face was very captivating. He was a dedicated and gifted scientist and he had shown her much kindness.

"I am soooo stoked!" He was excited, like a kid in a video arcade. "We should go and celebrate! Will you have dinner with me?"

She looked genuinely pleased. "Yes, I would be honored." She had spent most of her life oppressed by a country, an organization and an evil scientist who used her for his own gain. J.T. was a breath of fresh air.

When he met her at the vehicle elevator bay, he wore a new shirt and a trendy looking jacket courtesy of Division. Her sensible looking slacks, blouse and white lab coat had been replaced with a pair of flattering denim jeans, a soft cashmere sweater and a pair of tall leather boots.

Birkhoff had offered the use of his armored and tricked out BMW to the bio-chemistry wizard and his date, the genetics wizardess. If not for the covert black ops organization and their work in altering human DNA, and the fact they had escaped from an evil that made death row inmates seem misunderstood, they felt like a normal couple, driving into Manhattan, for food and drink.

Dinner had been relaxed, the food was excellent and so was the company. It was rare to find someone that spoke their same language. While they waited to have coffee and share a dessert, they looked at each other and realized, they were on a bona fide date.

* * *

Sean groaned and was slightly mortified to have Alex pick him off the training mat. They had been sparring and Alex's reflexes and strength were noticeably amplified.

"Is that all you got?" She teased him.

"Remind me never to arm wrestle with you again." He stretched his back and looked at her, admiring the view. She was damp from their workout, her hair was mussed up and without her usual glamour kit, she looked almost innocent and very unassuming.

"J.T said if they had injected that entire syringe into me, I would have overdosed. The amount I was given was just enough to cause tissue regeneration. Pretty cool, huh?" They walked toward the locker rooms and Sean realized they were alone. No agents or Birkhoff to torture them. He stopped her and backed her against the wall.

"What do you think you're doing?" Of course she knew and it caused her heart to beat faster. "You better be careful, I don't want to hurt you." She murmured looking up into a pair of sexy brown eyes.

Sean gently stroked some stray hair off of her face and let his fingers linger and trail down toward her collarbone. Alex sighed at the electricity that ran through both of them. She smiled and reached up and placed her hands on his hard biceps, copping a feel was quite a turn on.

"Alex..." he leaned into her and whispered into her ear. His breath was warm and moist and sent shivers up and down her spine. "You're remarkable, beautiful and one of a kind and I really want you."

His declaration made her knees grow weak and she didn't fight the desire she felt, he knew it and it caused him to grow bolder. He kissed her tentatively, testing to see if she would pull away, instead she deepened the kiss, and stroked her tongue against his.

"I want you too." The words were simple but opened a flood gate of sensation and emotion. "Not here." She whispered and led him away from the training room, down the hall, toward her living quarters. When they entered her room, she shut the door and turned the lock.

Alex beckoned him over with her eyes, no words were necessary when she pulled her tank top off and dropped it to the floor. His t-shirt came off and he pulled her into his arms.

"Alex, baby, thank you for being with me, I know I'm not a hot bio-chemist..."

"There is one condition," she said breathlessly between kisses. "I want you to learn to recite the Periodic Table whenever we make love."


	13. Chapter 13

Moving On

Nikita propped herself up on her forearms before reaching out and taking the glass from his hand. Her fingers lingered for just a moment, while the sheet that covered her, slid down her back.

"I know you're disappointed but the mission was half accomplished. We did save lives." Michael stroked the bare skin on her back. It was smooth and warm.

"I know," She sipped from her glass. "But she has to be stopped." I'll never have closure until she's dead." Her eyes grew hard with determination.

"I understand how you feel, and we will stop Amanda, but consider this." He bent over and gently kissed her forehead. "It could of ended badly for all of us, and it didn't."

The corners of Nikita's mouth turned up into a smile. He had always had her heart, even when they were at odds with each other, he affected her like no other man ever had. "You're right."

"Alex and Sean for one." Michael took the glass of wine from her hand.

"Hmmm, I'm happy for them, and for us, it was making me dizzy watching them circle each other."

"And there are the scientists. Like minds, big words..." Michael pushed aside the sheet that covered her.

Nikita laughed. "Have you ever listened to them? When J.T. talks to Lu about Microtubules or Electrophoresis, it's like verbal foreplay."

"What about Vincent and Catherine..." He settled himself down next to her on the bed. Nikita scooted herself over to make room for him to stretch out next to her.

"They love each other." She drew an imaginary picture on his chest with her fingers. "How many can come face to face with Amanda and live to tell about it?"

Michael raised one eyebrow. "You wouldn't believe what he can do in the weight room, the guy's a monster." He stopped himself and furrowed his brow realizing what he had just said. "Bad choice of words."

She smiled and pushed herself up and straddled his torso, trapping him with her bare thighs. She pressed herself around him and the contact made them both catch their breath.

"He's turned out to be quite an asset for Ryan. It isn't easy to find someone qualified to run Medical." Her voice was low and seductive, she planted a hand on either side of his head and leaned into him, rewarding him with a slow burning kiss.

A deep hum emitted from inside of him. "I still believe one can feel good and still be part of Division." Michael placed his hands around her waist, navigating her right where he wanted her. His eyes smoldered with intent.

"Then prove it again." Nikita demanded breathlessly... and he did.

* * *

There were so many things in Vincent's life he had foregone, and caring about the clothes he wore, was one of them. When Alex insisted he and J.T. couldn't live in recruit clothing forever, she managed to provide them each with a prepaid credit card. J.T. was happy to go shopping on Division's dime, Vincent not so much.

He was relieved when Catherine and Alex offered to take on the task for him. The two women had been gone for hours and Vincent wondered what they could be up to. He was glad when they returned, until he saw the dozen Bugatchi shirts, six pairs of Diesel jeans and two pairs of John Varvatos leather work boots. It seemed excessive and overwhelming, but Alex did her best to keep a straight face and told him it was part of the HR package that secret government agencies provide to their operatives.

"I feel like a different man." He admitted to Catherine, once dressed in his new clothes. "What do you think?" He gave her a boyish grin.

"You look handsome..." She said standing close to him and licking her lips. "Almost too handsome, the women here will be all over you." It was true, she knew he turned heads and Vincent-watching had become a guilty pleasure for many of them.

She broke their eye contact. "One more item." She reached for a bag and took out a small box. It contained a watch with a metal band. "Give me your hand." She placed it around his wrist and snapped it shut.

"Okay, Dr. Keller, you're ready to go out there and save lives."

They say timing is everything and Ryan's came at the right time for Vincent.

With clearance from the women and men who chose to keep their names disassociated with this particular secret, Ryan offered Vincent immunity in exchange for a role within Division. Finding a doctor who would work within the boundaries of the black ops organization wasn't easy and although it might not have been the perfect arrangement, it gave Vincent his life back and a chance to practice medicine.

It took some time to find his way, but eventually the wary looks disappeared and the admiring glances were just as much about his competence and kindness as his good looks. One day, as he walked through operations to consult with Ryan and Michael, he overhead Birkhoff say,  _Dr. Hottie is in the house_. Vincent gave Division's tech-master a funny look and Birkhoff smirked back at him. He realized it wasn't meant to be an insult or a compliment, it was a sign of acceptance, and by all intent and purposes, Dr. Hottie had finally found a place to belong.

* * *

"Catherine?" He called out quietly, "Where are you?" He used his key to enter her apartment and set the armful of flowers and bottle of wine down on her kitchen counter.

"I'm in here." She answered brightly.

He walked into her bedroom and her back was to him. She was buttoning up her blouse and looked like a girl, fresh and innocent without a hint of guile, but when she turned to face him, it was a woman with knowing eyes who looked back.

Catherine walked toward him and they embraced each other naturally. He could cast a spell on her just by saying her name and looking into her eyes. She reached up and pulled him toward her, their lips and tongues slowly dancing.

"I've really missed you." She murmured.

"Oh yeah, me too." He whispered between kisses. His large hands held her close. It had only been a week, and both the detective and the doctor had good reasons to be apart, but that was then, not now. He effortlessly picked her up and she wrapped her legs around him. Her small frame fit against him perfectly.

"I made dinner." She panted throwing her head back while he kissed his way down her neck.

"I brought wine." He shrugged his coat off one arm at a time, never releasing his hold on her.

"Are you hungry?" She mumrmured as his hands crept up under her blouse.

"Hmmm, it smells like... " He fumbled with her buttons. "Lasagna."

"Who doesn't like Lasagna?" She whispered and leaned back in his arms. She pulled her blouse apart, the buttons popped open and one flew off and skittered across the floor.

"Catherine..." He unhooked her bra, the one that opened in the front. He spread her garments apart. "I don't deserve you."

She moaned when his lips made it's way down toward her breasts. "And, Caeser Salad. Oh my God... "

"I don't know how I got so lucky." He rasped out the words and walked them toward her bed. He gently laid her down and quickly tore his t-shirt off. "I love Lasagna."

She cried out in pleasure when he covered her body with his. The feel of his bare skin against hers caused a burning sensation that crept down their bodies and caused them to grind their hips against each other.

"Catherine..." he mumbled. "When... are... they... coming?"

"Vincent..." she sighed. "Soon." She arched into him and whimpered.

They struggled to get out of the rest of their clothing and frantically made love. The need they felt for each other overpowered them. This time they were on the clock, but they knew the next time would be slow and methodical and very sweaty.

* * *

"Really?" J.T. turned red with embarrassment. "You're ability to astonish me has never waned."

"When Heather threw me that surprise birthday party that wasn't much of a surprise, Vincent told me you two hadn't celebrated a birthday in ten years." Cat smiled with relief, he actually looked shocked.

"Yeah, well there was a good reason. We were afraid Murifield would crash it." He muttered. "You knew about this?" He looked at Vincent and Lu suspiciously.

"It wasn't my idea, and if you were me, would you argue or try to talk her out of it?" They both knew the answer to that.

"I think it is sweet." Lu added smiling up at her bio-chemist. "She is a good friend."

Tess approached the birthday boy and his date with a Martini in each hand. "Drink. It'll help." She gave J.T. a sly look and patted him on the back before walking away.

Sean held the shaker of Martini's and poured generous amounts into the glasses. The eclectic group of guests drank up before moving on to the pans of the aforementioned Lasagna, a gigantic bowl of Caesar salad and the half dozen bottles of wine.

Cat pulled Michael aside. "Thank you. I wasn't sure you'd be on board with this."

"We don't socialize much, but since you agreed to let us deal with security, who is Division to spoil a party?" Michael enjoyed being the good guy. Under his advice, Ryan had installed snipers on the roof tops around her apartment building and agents in unmarked vehicles patrolled the neighborhood.

"What's on the menu?" Birkhoff said through the Coms.

Michael almost rolled his eyes. "Who invited you?"

"Tell Dr. Hottie to bring me back a plate."

Nikita turned her back to the other guests. "Hate to break it to you, but I don't think Vincent's coming back to Division tonight."

"I'll bring you something." Alex said under her breath. "You want vegetarian or meat lasagna?"

Tess sat on a bar stool, and Sam, the new man in her life stood next to her with an arm slung around her shoulder. They gave each other an amused look.

"They do that a lot." She said. "You know, talk to themselves."

Sam chuckled and pulled her against him. "I prefer not to have other people in my head." He teased her. "Let's eat."

Across the room, Nikita sat down next to Vincent. She sincerely liked him, he had a kind heart and a killer physique. "How are you getting along? I know Ryan's happy with your work."

"It's good, but different. Believe me, coming from where I've been, different isn't so bad." He looked at her thoughtfully. "Can I ask you something, it might seem personal, I'm not trying to pry."

She look intrigued. "If I don't like what you have to say, I won't answer."

"I was speaking to Ryan about who I am, or more specifically who I used to be."

"Go on."

"I've taken a lot of lives, it might have seem justifiable at the time, or for the greater good, but once it's done, they're never coming back and I can't help but think about the pain I've inflicted, the consequences of my actions. Now that my life doesn't revolve around survival, how do I live with it?"

Nikita looked surprised. "Did Ryan tell you to talk to me?"

"Yeah. He said you mentioned it before."

She gave him a wistful look. "I have often wondered if we can come back from the evil and darkness. I once thought I was defined by my actions and that meant I was bad. I know we can't erase the past and I do ask myself if I could have done it differently, if I really had a choice."

"It helps to know I'm not alone."

"The past does come back to haunt you, but if we're smart, we have to move on. Besides, we're only human. _"_ Nikita shrugged.

Vincent gave her a thankful look. "That I can live with."

* * *

"Chandler." Joe greeted her. "Looks like someone is having a good time getting their life together." He handed her the postcard before marching back to his office.

Cat broke out in a smile when she saw the self made postcard addressed to the Eighteenth Precinct. It was postmarked from Peru and showed Evan, with a beautiful woman, who had her arms around him. The short note indicated the photo was taken at the top of Machu Picchu, in front of a set of ancient ruins. He looked happy and that tugged at her heart because she only wanted that for him, to be happy.

Tess walked into the precinct and Cat handed her the postcard. She looked at it and her face lit up.

"It's ironic, isn't it? I would have never predicted this." She waved the postcard in the air. "Or this." She pointed to the bud vase with a single red rose that sat on her desk. "Or this." She pointed to the radiant smile, also known as the sex glow, on Cat's face.

"It only took him three months. Looks like Evan didn't waste anytime meeting  _Is-a-bel_." Cat pronounced each syllable carefully with a mischievous look in her eyes.

Tess shuffled the stack of papers on her desk and looked up at her with a smug expression. "It doesn't take everyone nine years, spy-fi experimentations, secret government agencies, a kidnapping and life and death to find the right person." She whispered.

"And your point is?" Catherine whispered back, grinning from ear to ear.

Catherine and Vincent's lives had changed dramatically, but the core of who they were had not. Cat had been a cop for almost nine years and although it could be difficult and heartbreaking, she still loved it. More importantly, everyone knew she was good at it. All Vincent ever wanted was to be a good doctor and help people, and now with his humanity restored, he had been given a chance to accomplish this. He understood she had a life to go back to, and she knew he needed to rebuild his.

Without the threat of turning into something less than human, Vincent had been given a new classified identity and it came with a safety net and the freedom to roam the streets of Manhattan with his head up. Knowing this, Cat was ready to go back to work. Ryan pulled some strings and had her re-assigned back to the Eighteenth Precinct's Special Crimes Unit with Tess as her partner.

The two Detectives had fallen back into a comfortable rhythm and the simpatico they once shared had returned. Best of all, when Cat said she was busy, her partner didn't have to wonder where she was, who she was with, and why she was gone.

"We've got a case..." Cat mumbled scanning her computer monitor. She looked up at her partner with astonishment. "Oh... you have got to be kidding?"

Tess quickly refreshed her computer and read the brief report. She returned the look of surprise. "Another vigilante?"

Cat looked at her shaking her head. "Why do I get the feeling we're in a badly written story?"

~End~


End file.
